Part the Clouds
by Lex-no-Luther
Summary: I could never be a hero, not with all the terrible things I've done. But there was no way I was letting an innocent person get mugged and shot in front of me. That went for everybody…not just the cute guy in the bar. I offered the gunman the most innocent smirk in my arsenal as another wave of power rolled through me.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everybody, you are reading my first Flash story! So this is set somewhere after Season 2 ( or what I think is gonna happen after this season) and will only be canon up to a point. I hope you enjoy it as I had fun writing it. If you do enjoy it please drop a review**.

 **-Lex**

The pounding bass of the music and the chatter of the crowd was almost ambient noise to me. It had been a long day and I would have preferred to be curled up under my thick black duvet yet here I was still waiting on _him_. Fishing the cell phone out of my pocket, I inwardly groaned at the time.

 _10:45. He was fifteen minutes late._

My eyes scanned the crowd, hoping that perhaps he was stuck at the bar. On a Friday night, the place was always packed with my under-30 crowd. People that weren't packed tightly around the bar littered the dance floor and tables. More regular faces were mostly revolving around the two pool tables. Tony and his boys were all pool sharks, scamming anyone who dared to play them out of their money. An unfamiliar face at the third pool table caught my attention and I looked closer.

A young chestnut haired woman with soft curls and a short dress was talking animatedly with another bar-hopper, actually attempting to play pool. From the way she flung her hands around and made angles with her arms suggested that she was 'helping' him with his shot. The man pulled a hand down his porcelain, boyish face before leaning his lanky body over the top of the table to line up said shot. Just as he made to shoot, the woman spoke again, making him miss his altogether. He gave her a tired smile before offering the pool stick.

Friends, I guessed. Possibly more than that from the way he kept looking at the hem on that dress.

Just as I was about to stop my creepy antics, a third joined the group. He was carrying drinks from the bar and the lanky man looked almost excited for his return. This third guy had a honey complexion with midnight colored hair and a warm smile. His dark eyes were alive with the excitement of a Friday night out on the town. He wore a graphic transformer t-shirt under a plaid…was that a jacket? I smiled a bit to myself. He was nerdy, fun, and really quite cute. I watched as he joked with his friends, smile never wavering from his full lips.

"Nice to see somethings don't change." An all too familiar voice interrupted me. "You still drink Redbull Vodkas and you still like the guys that can hardly dress themselves."

"Somethings do change. For example, this is a rum and coke and you're late." I accused. "For a man that preached punctuality all throughout my teenage career you…"

"Oh have a heart Kane." he groaned. "There was a traffic delay downtown. Something going on with the CCPD."

I leaned back in my wooden chair and regarded the man. Abraham, my foster father, was nearing his late fifties as a successful lawyer that represented Mercury Labs. He was a tall, well-toned man with olive skin and malicious blue eyes. Blue eyes that I had grown to hate in my twenty-five years. Abraham wasn't the man that a majority of Central City thought he was. 'Honest Abe' the called him. If they only knew…

"Have a heart? I'm pretty sure you bought mine." I tapped my fingers along the glass.

"It was for sale." He quipped, laying down a thick white envelope. "And if it makes you feel any better it wasn't exactly cheap."

"I used to help your third wife balance your check books." I reminded him, tucking the envelope into the inner pocket of my hooded NorthFace. I never needed to check for the right amount. Abraham knew the parameters of our deal. "I doubt you bat an eye at the thirty-five hundred you give me a month."

"And yet you still drive that camero."

"It's a 1969 Camero with an engine that is barely over a years old. It just needs a new paint job and seats." I defended, instantly regretting that he could still make me feel like a child. Redirected the conversation, I turned to my true concern. "How is Tajsa?"

"Tajsa is doing well. Still responding nicely to her medication. She just got asked to some winter dance at her school. Seems as she is quite sweet on the young man." Abraham quirked one eyebrow. "I'm not sure if I should let her go."

"Why not?" I pressed, narrowing my eyes in suspicion.

"Tajsa is such a pure child. Full of joy, innocence and intelligence. Even despite her…condition. I want to keep the danger of boys and dating away from her much longer. Now you were a different case all together, couldn't keep you in line if I prayed." He took a long slip from his beer. "Perharps you can help change my mind and Tajsa can go to the dance."

"You'd disappoint my sister, your foster daughter because you want something from me. You know there is really something fucked up in your head." I hissed at him.

"A lady should watch her language." Her drummed his fingers on the table. "And _my kid_ should watch her tone."

 _His_ kid?

"What do you want… _Dad_?" The word burned on my lips.

"It's simple really." Abraham pulled out one of his business cards and slid it across the table. An address was written on the back along with name and the word, _hydrate_. "I need you to head down to that address. Talk to the man whose name is written on the back of the card. Tell him you need the Drive that has the inscription hydrate on it. You may have to do some _convincing_."

"Convincing?"

"You know, similar to you last…Job."

"Enslavement." I slammed my fist down on the wooden table as I hissed the word. My eyes casted down for just a second and I was truly pleased that I didn't punch through the surface. _Well, I don't have work so hard to control it anymore_. "The word you're looking for is enslavement."

My foster dad's poker face didn't waver as he threw a twenty down on the table. "The dance is next Saturday. I'm sure you wont let your sister down."

My green eyes didn't even bother to track him as he left. God, I hated that man more than his three ex-wives. But he was right. He was always _right_. I wouldn't be the reason Tajsa didn't get to attend her first dance. My chest tightened as I thought of the last time I had seen my little sister. Two years ago at her twelfth birthday party, she had been all smiles as she ran around the trampoline jungle with her friends. I had to admire the brave face my sister put on that day…her pain was a lot worse before the new medication. _At least that is what Abe tells me_. At twelve, Tajsa looked just like a pre-teen me: Peanut butter skin, Earth Green eyes and impossible curly raven hair. During her party, she wore the jacket I had made just for her. A black letterman with the word 'nine' sown into the chest. Nine, a private joke between the two of us and the only thing really have left of our parents.

With a rough sigh, I pushed away from my table and headed to the balcony of the bar. I needed some air but I didn't want to go home just yet. Pushing through the back door, I was met with a chill that had me zipping up my jacket and stuffing my hands inside. It was unseasonably cold for October, hence the empty balcony. Truly, I was happy for some alone time in the small space. I strolled over to the railing that faced the lit Central City Street. People dotted the sidewalks: holding their loved ones, chuckling with friends or chattering into a cell phone. I breathed it all in for a second. Being with loved ones, enjoying friends and the thrill of being…normal? My eyes scanned the people on the street once more. The word normal meant so many things…perhaps that wasn't the word I was searching for.

"Pity party is over, Kane." I reprimanded myself. "You've got work to do."

I made to force myself back into the bar when a voice caught my attention. It was different from the chatter of the street. It was coming from the ground level on the other side of the balcony. It was a smooth, tenor voice that was speaking fluent…was that Spanish? Actually, speaking was another wrong term. He was yelling…almost arguing…in loud Spanish. My nosey nature took over and I peeked over the other side of the railing. I don't know what I expected but I was surprised to see the cute guy from inside the bar. He paced aimlessly inside of the dim 'employee parking lot' as he argued into the cell phone at his ear. From his body language, he seemed to be explaining something…or himself…I didn't speak a lick of Spanish. However, I was content to listen to his smooth voice roll his R's.

"Seriously?" I chided myself out loud again. "You could _attempt_ to be less creepy. You don't even know his name."

Just as I made to argue with myself on this point, his string of Spanish came to an abrupt Holt. A gruff, voice replaced his croon.

"You picked the wrong bar tonight." The voice told him. A man stood less than four feet in front of him with a steady grip on a rather large black gun. My heart started to beat faster and I could fell the strength and power roll over my body in waves. My already tense muscles coiled, wating for the right time to step in. "This is my block! Let's go, Kid! Any and everything you got! Right now!"

"Just hold on there _Nightcrawler_." The guy from the bar held his hands up as he bent slightly, attempting to retrieve the phone he dropped.

"Do you see this big ass gun I got in your face, nerd? I will shoot…"

"Let him go." I yelled from above the men, having enough of the interaction.

"Why don't you go inside and have a drink." He was still pointing his gun right at the raven haired dude as they both peered up at me. "This is not really your business, Sweetheart."

"It is now." I uttered under my breath.

Easily swinging my legs over the rail, I jumped off the balcony. The current of the wind I created curled around me in a loving caress. The feeling of being one with the wind was something I could hardly describe. Something I would have never known without these abilities. I landed between the two in a crouched position as to absorb the impact.

"Holy Ninja!"

"How in the hell…"

Both the men gasped in surprise. All the color drained from the thief's face as I straighten myself out. All five foot two of me to be exact. The barrel of his gun was now pointed at my forehead instead of the Raven Haired guy's chest. This certainly wasn't the first time I had been on this side of a gun. I could never be a hero, not with all the terrible things I've done. But there was no way I was letting an innocent person get mugged and shot in front of me. That went for everybody…not just the cute guy in the bar. I offered the gunman the most innocent smirk in my arsenal as another wave of power rolled through me. It was like a jolt of electricity I just loved to let free. At least when it was my choice to do so. The thief's gunman was slightly shaky now as I peered into his beady eyes.

"Looks like you are the one who picked the wrong bar."


	2. I will be

_**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update! It wont be as long of a wait usually! I tried to make her powers much clearer in this chapter. Let me know what you think.**_

 _ **-Lex**_

The thief was too busy making idle threats to be distracted by the growing wind current. The tips of my fingers were summoning the wind. Controlling it, manipulating it, centralizing it right into the palms of my hands. I waited a few seconds for the swirl of air to turn white as smoke and grow to softball size. Only then did I use my considerable strength to launch the two balls into his direction. One smacking the gun out of his hand and the other slamming him loudly into a dumpster.

The guy scrambled back to his feet in a rather athletic movement and produced a smooth blade. I crouched lower into a fighting stance and just barely checked over my shoulder. The bar hopper gawked, appearing stuck to the space. Noting that he wasn't hurt, my attention turned back to my fight.

"Small knife for such a big guy." I taunted. "The gun was compensating?"

Instead of replying, he charged. The fall affected him more than I thought, making him wobbly on his feet. I waited for just the right moment to block his blade and counter attack with a hook to the jaw. The force of the punch bending him just enough for me to grab his broad shoulders and send a knee to his stomach. During the tussle, his blade managed to stab my bicep. Our yelps of pain matched for just a second before I wrenched the blade from him.

"Youre what? Sixteen? An overgrown teenager?" I scoffed, getting a good look at his face as he backed away. I shoved the blade in his general direction. "Does your mom know that you're out way pass your curfew?"

"Freak!" He spat. Proving that he wasn't scared, the teen smacked the blade out of my loose grip and yanked my wrist high. My skin twisted in his grip but my inhuman strength kept my feet planted. "Bitch."

 _Some kids just weren't too bright_.

"Manners?" I reminded as I pulled out my newest trick. Pulling on the heat in my core, I forced a small current of electricity over my bare skin. It was enough to make him bellow in pain and jump far away from me. "How about we call it a night before I kick your ass the way your parents didn't?"

He didn't waste any time ripping out of the parking lot. As I watched him run, a silence fell over the lot and I peeked over my shoulder once more. The cute guy wasn't frozen anymore, having picked up his phone and appeared to be pointing the camera in my direction. I didn't want my abilities posted all over the internet but the last thing I wanted was my face on the thing. In one smooth movement, I yanked the hood over my curly hair and turned halfway to him.

"You should be more careful." I called to him before shoving my hands into my jacket pockets and bouncing off.

"Hey! Wait, come back!" He shouted but I was already dashing around the corner and into the busy street. As people flooded the space around me, I pulled the hood back down and let out a breath that I didn't know I had been holding. I had done my good deed for the day…surly that had to make up for some of the bad?

 _Flashback-Two years ago_

"What we have here is a failure to communicate." My 'employer' clicked her heels against the pavement as she paced in front of me. "You work for me now Ms. McMillian. This means that when I ask you to do something, you do it."

"Like kill an innocent man?" I shrieked. "What could he have done that deserves such an extreme punishment?"

"There are people in the world who deal only in extremes and it would be naïve to think anything less than extreme measures will stop them." Waller stopped her pacing. "Of all the meta-humans that A.R.G.U.S. has rescued I find you the most useful. Your ability to create and manipulate any air current. Then to create electricity along with your inhuman strength. These were all reasons I found you perfect for this task force."

"The others, my teammates, have told me what kind of team it really is." I retorted. "They call it a Suicide Squad. As in if the mission doesn't go the way you want it..."

"You should be looking at this as an opportunity. With this team not only will you learn to control these new abilities but you will learn discipline and respect for authority. You might even find yourself making a difference in the world." Waller's sneer grew doubly. "Of course, We have ways to make you comply. They only reason you don't not have a chip in your skull like the rest of the Task Force is because you heal at an inhuman rate. However you might have heard of the phrase 'there is more than one way to skin a cat.'"

"Go to hell, Waller."

"Remember, Ms. McMillian. Everyone you know thinks you are dead. You died when that science exhibit came crashing down on you. It will be no trouble to make your death a reality." Her sneer turned into an amused smirk. "From now on you will be doing fight training with Ms. Cutter. I believe you'll find her style an improvement of our own."

 _End Flashback_.

I entered my dark one room apartment with a bad taste in my mouth. Thinking of my two years as a part of that task force always brought on sour feelings. Waller has easily taken a bad girl with a snarky attitude and turned her into a killer. My teeth ground together as I yanked off my jacket and t-shirt, the cut from the blade was already heeled but I looked in the mirror anyway. My eyes fell on the tattoos I had gotten through my time on the task force. They were kinda like badges for me, I'd get them for milestones that I had hit. There were six. Four on the left side of my belly button in a column, one under my right breast. The most recent on the inside of my right wirst. Each one an I and X. Nine in Roman numerals.

"Ok, Abe." I talked to no one as I pulled the card from my jacket. "Where are you sending me?"

I lounged on my bed as I typed in the downtown address that I had been given into Google. Even with my spotty internet, the results came in quickly and the first option earned my full attention. I read the bold letters two more times before realizing a suspicious breath.

"Central City Water Department." I read aloud. Hastily, I typed in the man's name, Anthony Carter, behind the address in the search bar. Anthony had just been promoted to Section Chief of the Sanitation…of the entire downtown of Central City. "This doesn't seem like one of your golf buddies Abe. What the hell are you into?"

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I wished I was a smoker, just right now. That way I could look like I was doing something other than being suspicious and waiting. I had been waiting outside of a coffee shop for the better part of an hour. Jitters, they called it and I understood why. I was almost shaking after my second Flash espresso. This coffee shop was conveniently located just yards away from the parking garage entrance for the Water Department.

It had taken almost the entire week but I had done my homework on Carter. He stayed until 9pm every night, two hours after the offices had officially shut down. Probably an attempt to prove he was worth his salt. His corner office was on the third floor as was his marked parking space. After some stalking, more than I cared to admit, I saw that Carter kept the Drive on his wrest like a bracelet. Something that didn't seem that hard to swipe. I just needed to get him alone in case I had to do some _convincing_.

 _8:55_ , my new watch-a gift from Abe- read. Show time.

I made my way down to the parking deck and climbed up the stairs to the third level. Like clockwork, Carter was just leaving the building, blindly whistling to himself and searching for his keys. I fitted myself back against the brick wall, just a foot from his Honda. The plan was simple: intimidation and demanding…it worked before. But just before I could put my simple plan into action, Carter looked up and connected his dark eyes with mine. It was like he sensed me, like he knew exactly why I was lurking in the shadows near his car. The man froze like the statue of David before dropping his brief case and fully sprinting back towards door to lead him inside.

 _Fine, I'll improvise_

I rushed toward him, smoke swirling in my hands and through a basketball sized ball of air at the back of his skull. Carter went down hard, scrapping his chin on the concrete, before scrabbling to his feet again. I reached him just as he got one hand on the door. One hand held it closed as I used the other to toss him a few feet back.

"Stay back!" He bellowed, thrusting his phone into the air. "Don't you touch me! The cops are already on their way!"

"Geez," I rolled my eyes and forced a sudden wind current to knock the cell into the space between us. Just far enough from me to crush beneath my foot along with a bit of the concrete. "I'm not interested in hurting you."

"Then why are you here?" He asked, voice shaking in his throat.

"Because Mr. Carter you made some new friends." I took a few more steps toward the quaking man because intimidation did sell. "Some friends that aren't too happy with you if they sent me. So how about you give me that Drive on your wrist and we call it a day."

"I cant! You have no idea what they'll do…" He pleaded, finally getting to his feet.

"Don't care." I promised.

Surging forward, I clawed the drive off of him while giving a hardy shove back. No sooner than my palm made contact with his chest, I saw a red blur and ended up a few feet away and flat on my back. Confused, I checked first that I still had the drive…I did…and second for Carter. But I didn't see anyone. It was like he disappeared into thin air. In the very next second the red blur zipped across my eyes before coming to a clean halt above me. What I saw had my heart beating hard in my chest.

The Flash

Of course, I knew about Central City's guardian angel. I read stories about him and heard even more. The way he rushed in and all but threw criminals into the hands of the police. Some criminals then ended up in a special wing of Iron Heights. A cage made specifically to hold metahumans. A cage to hold me.

I was not getting thrown into another cage. Not again.

"Flash." I breathed, keeping my eyes on his as I got to my feet. "I'm a Big Fan. Your espressos are awesome."

"Whatever you're up to stops right now," He informed me. "And you're coming with me."

"Now really isn't the best time," I backed away slightly, just a few steps away from the side of the parking garage. With quick hands, I stuffed the drive into my back pocket. "How about Tuesday at 8. Do you like sushi?"

A smug smirk was his only reply as he surged forward. His speedy movement had created a surge of wind that I was more powerful than I had ever encountered. But I _could_ control it. just before the red blur got too close, I swept my hands in a circle forcing the wind current he created to knock into him like a wrecking ball. Flash went flying sideways, slamming…hard…into the nearest concrete wall.

I ran, trying to put as much space between us as possible before the speedster could gather himself. I made it the slope that led to the lower deck before he appeared and blocked my path. Smoke was already swirling in my hands and I pelted him like a kid on a snow day. The first two hit him dead in the eyes but the rest were neatly dodged. I needed a new plan because although I could do this all day there was no doubt in my mind that Flash could too.

However, he changed to a new tactic before I. There was a red blur flashing before my eyes again, but this time around me as if he was running circles. The path became tighter and tighter and the corresponding wind was whipping viciously at me. My eyes shut tight and I tried to grasp the current but this one wouldn't bend to my will. I wasn't quite strong enough and suddenly I wished I had practice harder when Waller asked. No sooner than the thought ran through my head, everything slowed. My eyes flicked open to Flash yanking a bolt of lightning off his suit and lobbing it in my direction.

I acted on instinct and my hand shot out to catch the bolt. _Nobody ever said that insticnts couldn't be stupid._ However, this time acting on impulse saved me. In my hand was a bolt of yellow lightening. It was flickering, jagged with no distinct shape, and hot…but not quite hot enough to burn me. My eyes grew wide and flicked up to the Flash's equally surprised gaze.

"Nice trick!" I complimented curling my fingers around the bolt. "Looks like I can do it too."

I pitched the bolt back, hitting him square in the stomach. Flash tumbled over hit own head and hit the ground a hard _smack_. He grunted in pain and I knew he wasn't getting up to quick from that! I mean c'mon. I lightning bolt to the stomach! Slowly, I crept over…to make sure he was still breathing and to reason with him.

"I bet that sucked." I offered, squatting down to his withering form. Flash's green eyes went wide as I flicked back my oversized hood and exposed my face. "I'm showing you my face as good will. I know you're the cities guardian angel and all but I'm not looking to really hurt anyone. I mean I hurt you and all but you started it. Look I'm just doing favors for someone who really, really doesn't deserve it. I'm not a threat but if you get in my way again then I will be."


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey everyone! So thank you all for the favorites and follows. That means a lot to me! So I had a little trouble with this chapter because I couldn't get Team Flash to play right. But I worked through it and I hope you dig this chapter. Let me know what you think. I would love to hear from more of you!_

 _-Lex_

 _In S.T.A.R Labs_

"Your vitals appear to be normal. For you at least." Caitlin announced as she slipped of the white latex gloves with a snap.

"I told you that I was fine." Barry huffed as he slipped out of the Med Bay. "However, I can't fault you for being thorough…given my track record with lightning strikes."

"A meta that can control wind and throw lightening. We've seen this before with Clyde Martin." Joe offered as he propped up against the desk of computers. "Could she be just like him?"

"No, Weather Wizard actually alters the weather conditions in his proximity. She doesn't do that. Last week I saw her manipulate wind and create balls of fog. That and shock the hell out of the mugger." Cisco explained to the team. "I had no idea that she do a dope Zeus impression."

"This is not dope." Barry insisted with a weary groan. "She's way more powerful than you said."

"And She's cocky. I mean showing you her face is an eight on the boldness scale for criminals." Joe added, receiving a nod of agreement from Caitlin.

"Did you find her on Facial recognition?" Barry questioned his partners.

"Her name is Kane McMillian. Two and a half years ago she was supposedly found dead at a Science Museum downtown the night the accelerator exploded." Caitlin pointed to the screen that held Kane's mugshot from three years before her 'death'. She stared into the camera with remorseful eyes and a completely busted bottom lip. "Apparently, she beat up a girl so bad that she ended up in the hospital with three broken bones and a completely unhinged jaw."

"Cisco, you're sure this is her? This doesn't seem like the type of girl to bat an eye at a robbery?" Joe questioned.

"I didn't see her face that night but I heard her voice. I'm sure it's the same girl." Cisco insisted.

"Cisco was a complete stranger to her and she stepped in to save him from getting mugged. And in her little plea to you Kane did say that she wasn't intending to hurt anyone. Just an undeserved favor. So…" Caitlin mused aloud.

"So maybe her good side is stronger than her bad." Barry followed her train of thought. Redirecting his attention to his father-figure, the speedster asked… "Do we know what she wanted with Carter?"

"I don't know. He was hysterical when we interviewed him but kept mumbling something about strage drive that he needed for work." Joe shrugged.

"What would anyone want with a Sanitation chief's USB?" Cisco mused around the bite out of his Twizzler.

Barry rocked back and forth on his feet. Friend or foe, there was only one way to be sure. "We have to find her. How do we find someone that is supposed to be dead and only uses her powers when necessary?"

"Who do we need to find." Harry glided around the corner and into the conversation. His focus was split between the notepad in his hand and the team. "Perhaps I can be of some assistance.

"Kane McMillian," Cisco gestured to the picture of her mugshot, prompting Harry to spin around.

Harry granted Cisco a knowing smirked before pointing his Earth-2 watch at a screen going unused. The mugshot of Earth-2 Kane lit up the sleeping computer. On this Earth Kane's young regretful eyes implied remorse for her actions. A person that didn't exactly enjoy being labeled as a criminal. However, the Earth-2 Kane was beaming in her mugshot as if it was her Cover Girl auditions. Her excited expression promising nothing but danger.

"On my Earth Kane McMillian isn't a metahuman. She is the leader of a female only biker gang called Hell's Belles. A group of women that run an import-export ring out of Central City and look like models doing it. The organization can get you anything you want. Drugs, guns, jewels, chemicals…all for a price and a please."

"So her services rendered aren't all that different from her doppelganger." Joe pointed out. "I suspect that the Kane on Earth-2 assaults people too."

"The police call her Windchime because she welds a charged bat-like weapon that whistles through the air when she swings it. She's been known to aim for the knees during her assaults." Harry responded to Joe before fixing Cisco with an amused half smile. "She's also Reverb's better half. _Was_ is probably the more appropriate tense now."

A silence of utter surprise blanketed over the group. Cisco, to his credit, was the first to recover.

"Earth-2-Wells-say-what-now!" He gasped, voice shooting through at least two octaves and the candy slipping through his fingers. "Even with all that Guy-liner?"

A few days later…Kane's POV

There was some smooth irony in the fact that I almost needed one of those Flash Espressos. Over the last four days I kept finding myself waiting in the line at Jitters with exact change for the beverage. There was a good joke in there about a criminal waiting in line to get a piece of the Flash. Because that is what I was…a criminal. It's all I've been for years…even before the Task Force.

The furious jingle of my back pocket pulled me out of my brooding as I waited for my espresso. After fishing my phone out, one look at the screen almost made me drop the device. _Abe the Prick._

"Shouldn't you be at work?" I asked in greeting as the barista handed me a steaming to-go cup.

"Shouldn't you be working in general?" Abe rebutted.

"I have a job. It's ridding the world of snakes. Perhaps you're the Big Fish I'll finally catch and be able to retire." I stomped out of the coffee shop and started down the block to my car.

"If sarcasm is a measure of intelligence then you are surly destined for great things, my child."

"You need something, Abe?"

"Meet me at Court Yard Park. I'll be at the benches closest to the Municipal Building."

"Now?" I grumbled, slowing the approach to my Camaro as there were three unknown men admiring my new shiny black paint job.

"Now." Abe replied before ending the call.

Even as a kid, I hated when my foster father wanted to 'meet' with me. With a groan, I continued to approach the men standing around my vehicle. There was an older brown skinned gentlemen with a stylish tie and an amused smile. To his right stood a younger, solid-framed, caramel skinned guy that was talking a-mile-a-minute. The third man was porcelain skinned with a boyish face… familiar…but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Yeah, you gotta admit that this is a pretty Camero." The older gentleman said as he thoughtfully stroked his goatee.

"Dad, Pretty? It's a 1969 and in perfect condition. This guy probably spent a hell of a lot of time on this baby. It's sick." The youngest man admired.

"You think the paint job is sick? Wait until you see what's under my hood." I joked, circling around the guys to reach my door.

"This is your car?" Youngest man asked. Even as he saw me climbing in. I made to smile and stark but the expression on the other men's faces made me hesitate.

It was recognition. And they clearly did not have any good thoughts of me.

"That's right." I turned my key and the engine snarled to life. The youngest guy grinned and I couldn't help but grin proudly.

"Was that a real offer to see the engine?" He asked.

"Next time, Handsome." I winked. Although the admiration was great for my ego, the look the other two men were putting me on edge. "I'm in something like a rush."

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"There are few things I loathe as much as being summoned Abe." I questioned, approaching the double-sided park bench were my foster father sat. Smoothly, I took my own seat on the opposite side and hoped no one noticed us talking.

"I needed to speak with you and it is best we don't have these conversations over the phone." He flipped to another page of the newspaper he was pretending to read.

"Cant have the current wife asking about the unknown number you called." I acknowledged. "I bet that 'client' excuse only goes so far these days."

"That's why I marry young and dumb." Abe remarked, gripping the paper a tad bit tighter than casually. "I have a source that told me the files on the drive had been opened at least 24 hours before he received them. Did you open those files, Kane?"

"No, I couldn't get that thing to you fast enough. Especially after having to fight the Flash for it. " I huffed in his general direction. "My only interest that night was doing right for Tajsa."

Full disclosure, I didn't 'open' the files, I copied them onto my computer. There were eight different files and they were all in computer code which was nothing but gibberish to me. One way or another, I was going to decode it. For the past two years under Waller I had run and delivered plenty of packages. Sometimes transporting objects in sealed creates, sometimes deadly people in handcuffs. Either way, I had done it without asking any questions. The less I knew the more I could pretend to ignore the darkness around me.

I wasn't an operative anymore and I wasn't going into things with blind eyes. Abe was known to keep secrets but I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was doing something terrible.

"And speaking of your sister, I have a gift for you."

The man reached into his coat pocket and retrieved a brown envelope, placing it gently on the back of the bench. It looked far too thin to be money and I felt my curiosity bubble right to critical mass. Popping open the seal, six freshly developed pictures slid into my palm. They were pictures of my Baby Sister at her dance. Abe had stayed true to his word and allowed Tajsa to attend in exchange for my 'services'.

 _God, my sister was gorgeous_.

She wore an endearing purple dress with black sparkles that very well might have been more tulle than actual dress. Her curly hair had been tamed into a halo and someone had even convinced her to wear lip gloss. In each picture Tajsa beamed with pure happiness and the smile reminded me of a much simpler time. A time before the car accident with our parents. The very accident that caused damage to her nervous system and cursing her with crippling pain for the rest of her life. That very smile was the reason I would do anything Abe asked of me.

 _And the Bastard knew it._

"Beautiful young lady isn't she?" Abe was back to pretending to read his paper. "You wouldn't believe how ecstatic I was that she chose such a modest dress. I had assumed that I would have to fight for an age appropriate selection but I should have known better. Not my Tajsa."

"Thank you for keeping your word, Abe." I stuffed the pictures into my inner jacket pocket, already thinking of the perfect frame for them.

"They don't call me 'Honest Abe' for nothing!" He chuckled, giving up on the newspaper and folding it over his lap. He gazed at a few couples strolling by before addressing me again. "Do you remember my associate Dr. Gaddis? The neuroscientist? In a very short version of a long story he has developed an experimental procedure for chronic pain conditions such as Tajsa's. Astonishing research really."

"Does it work?" My voice shot through two octaves. I forced myself to swallow a deep breath and modulate my volume.

"It's still in the trial stages and before you ask Tajsa is far too young to sign up for such a trial." My foster father smooth a strong hand over the black business tie he wore. "All though I could pull some strings…"

"Youre full of shit, Abe." I snarled, just loud enough for him to hear. "Be a man and just ask me to go steal some shit for you instead of using my sister to manipulate me anymore than you already have."

"I prefer the term motivate to manipulate, Kane. I've finally found a way to properly motivate you and the results are astounding." He responded, once again placing a business card onto the structure between us. No doubt there was a name and address on the back. "And to be clear I'm not asking you to steal because the key I need you to get from this man already belongs to me. It would be nice if I could have it within the next week."

"To be clear, I'm not doing this because you're a good father." With quick hands, I snatched the card and stuffed it into my pocket as I forced myself from the bench. My frame was almost shaking with fury and my feet wouldn't carry me fast enough away from him.

"Why do you hate me so, Kane?" Abe asked from somewhere behind me. "I took you and your sister out of the foster system. Gave you a magnificent home, clothes, schooling. And every chance you had to squander those opportunities you took! Even now I give you living money and take all your disrespect. I have half a mind too…"

During his speech, I had spun around and marched my way back to the bench. This time I didn't care about the park people seeing us talk, I wanted his full attention. I wanted to look into his blue eyes as I reminded him why I had good reason to hate him. Stepping around to his seat, I leaned down until out faces were only inches apart. Abe made to stand but my small hand clamped down on his shoulder only to roughly slam him back into his seat.

"I hate you Abe because whenever I wasn't the perfect child you locked me in the basement closet. When I was fourteen you locked me in there for over twelve hours because I dropped a glass bowl in the kitchen. I hate you because my very first busted lip came from your fist. And my first black eye. That, Dad, is more than enough reason to hate you. And the money you give me right now is hush money. So that I don't go to the media and tell them about your involvement in arranging Task Force X. And most of all so that I stay away from Tajsa."

"So that she doesn't find out what kind of monster her big sister really is." Abe growled back. "You know she is better off with me Kane. You could never afford the medication she needs."

"And that is the only reason Tajsa is still with you. But let me be very, very clear. If you lift a hand to my sister. Or try any of your 'creative' punishments…" I tightened my iron grip as I spoke. Abe's blue eyes flashing in pain under my considerable strength. "I'll make you wish that you had buried me instead of an empty casket."


	4. I know who you are, hero

_Hey everybody! Thank you so much for the reviews for last chapter. They really meant a lot to me. I was glad you all liked it as it was a challenge for me to write. As was this chapter, btw! I'm having surgery soon, so the next update might take a while. Just wanted to let you know! But in the meantime I'm working on an Earth-2 one shot (Silver Clouds with Grey linings) to go with chapter 3. Just a little fun thing that I hope you will check out when I post it either today to tomorrow._

 _And I'm not sure if I ever said this so: I own nothing but the plot and Kane!_

 _Sorry for the long note! -Lex_

Of one thing I was sure, I had been drugged. My senses felt hazy and weak, like coming freshly out of surgery. Whatever I had been hit with wasn't nearly as strong as the tranquilizer A.R.G.U.S. put on me when I got out of control. Pulling myself partially out of the stupor, the unfamiliar surroundings made my heart pound. I could feel the panic rising up the back of my neck and making those tiny hairs stand on end. It was like hospital room with half of a glass wall and almost double the equipment necessary. Beyond the glass windows were…some type of computer lab? With a groan, I made to force myself off the cot but grew distracted by my heavy limbs…and the clunky metal bracelets donning my slender wrist.

I didn't need to guess as I had seen this type of tech before, just in a different form. If my captors were clever then they would try to suspend my powers. No one needed to tell me that the bracelets served that purpose. Indeed, these captors were clever but underestimating wasn't too smart. The bracelets were secured but I wasn't restrained whatsoever. Poor judgement on their part. I had no idea where the hell I was but I needed to leave. Now. Gathering my sapped strength, I managed to lift myself into a sitting position just as quick footsteps approached from the hallway.

A captor rounded the corner and I didn't recognize the strangled noise of surprised escaped my throat. My captor was the bar hopper the other night. The cute guy that spoke Spanish with the smooth roll of his R's. The one I saved from the teenage mugger. Cautiously, he advanced into the room and his dark eyes never broke gaze with mine. Pearly white teeth shot out to bother his plump bottom lip before taking the breath to calm his nerves. I was holding a similar breath, still posed for a fight yet not quite shaking the haze of drugs in my system.

"Nobody is going to hurt you." He finally spoke in that smooth tenor voice that I remembered. "I'm Cisco Ramon."

 _Just five hours ago_

Much to my disappointment, locating a key was significantly harder than finding a Drive. My mark, Nick Fortune, carried three different sets of key rings. Three! And every single key had been painted black and was about the same size. Very much undistinguishable to anyone who wasn't privy to his complicated system. Originally, I approached this job much like the previous one…with a healthy amount of stalking.

 _Again, not something I would list on my already colorful resume_.

However, after a full business week of trailing Fortune I gathered that watching alone would not be enough. Begrudgingly, I went to the shipping yard that I had tracked him to once the sun set beyond the city. For a security guard, Fortune spent a majority of his time in the splatter of warehouses that lined the area. Warehouse 52 was apparently his favorite. The plan was to ask nicely for the key Abe wanted so badly. Shocker, I would know the key by the _Hydrate_ inscription on the face. If Fortune didn't oblige to the 'please'…I would do some convincing.

Creeping through the wide door, I breathed in the stale air of the warehouse. The place was shady as hell and looked like it housed a metric shit-ton of weapons and tools. I kept my steps quiet, allowing Fortune's deep voice to lead me straight to him. The olive skinned man chattered into a cell phone as he twisted in the computer chair, completely oblivious to my presence. Flicking my Oversized hood in place…

"Nick Fortune."

"What!" He almost flipped out of the seat, rushing to his feet to face me. "Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?"

"Through the door. Some security guard you are." I scoffed, stepping up onto an overturned metal crate. "Speaking of security, you took something that doesn't really belong to you. They sent me to collect."

"You…" Nick started but in a blur of red and yellow and a strong gust of wind, he disappeared.

 _Damn it Flash._

"Not that I don't enjoy gazing into your equally green eyes and all…" I sneered as he slid back into my line of sight. "Didn't we already run through this?"

"You told me that you were just doing favors. That you didn't want to hurt anybody." He called from across the space. "You don't need to hurt that man, Kane."

"Actually, the plan was to say please. Now let Fortune come out to play." I growled, hopping down off of the crate and beginning to cross the yards between us. I had warned him about the consequences of getting in my way for a second time. I was a lot of things and 'woman of my word' topped the list.

"Kane, I know about Tajsa. I know that she's sick and you…" Flash appealed but halted his speech as a snarl ripped through my chest.

"You will not use her against me!"

Quicker than I ever had, I hurled thick balls of smoke at the speedster. The impact knocked him off balance just enough for my strong wind current to send him tumbling into a wooden barrel. I didn't stop there, rushing another current to topple the self of various tools onto his head like a waterfall. Before I could continue this particular assault, Flash zipped right to my side so swiftly that I couldn't react. In the second I took gathering my senses, the speedster kicked my legs from under me while simultaneously shoving me in the opposite direction. I ended up twenty feet from my original position with my chest banging against the ground and my jaw sliced by smacking into a metal pole.

Flash hovered over me, giving me the opportunity to kick him in the ribs with the toe of my steel boots. He gripped his side as the air was knocked out of him and I knew better than to stop. Flipping up to my feet, I sent a full force left hook to his hardly flushed cheek. He wobbled slightly before- once again- rocketing out of my sight.

"Do you treat all your girls like this?" I asked, wiping the blood away from my jaw. "Had you pegged for more of a gentleman."

"We don't have to do this, Kane." Flash's voice echoed off of the walls of the large room. "I can help you!"

"We do have to do this. I told you not to interfere!" I saw the electric red of his suit half hidden behind some steel shelfing. I blasted him with another ball of fog that barely clipped his chest. "And stop yelling my name, will you?"

Seconds ticked on as I tracked his movement in the room. I could sense the interruption of a smooth current, permitting me to know not only the number of people in the room but also their position. Usually, such a trick took an intense focus and I had never quite learned to do it _while_ fighting. However, tracking the Flash was significantly easier. The man created a separate current. He zipped from my right to my left, as if attempting to get a better angle on me. His movements, though swift, became calculated and predictable. After his fourth change, I was able to guess his next position and target the speedster with a gust of furious wind.

Not allowing himself to be toppled, Flash ran right into me. Strong hands gripped my upper arms and lifted me clean off the ground. With his face just inches from mine, Flash ran so fast that I couldn't truly make out my surrounds and everything passed in a mess of colors. But… I could see the sparks of yellow that bounced off his suit. Roughly, I snatched out of his grasp and reached for the lightening. Flash was ready with a countermove, catching my arm and wrenching it behind my back before shoving my face into the…gravel? When in the hell did we get outside?

"Fool me once." He uttered, twisting my arm further up my spine. The pain hardly registered as I collected myself and noted that Flash had ran us out of that particular warehouse and into the dark alleyways that linked shipping yard.

"Got you twice." I grumbled back.

Using all my might, I ran the strongest current I possibly could down my arm. The man yelped in pain before sinking to the ground somewhere behind me. Effectively Electrocuted. I looked over the superhero before pushing to my own feet. If his face wasn't twisted in pain, he would be looking to be taking an uncomfortable nap.

The damn mission was scrubbed, the key lost along with the element of surprise. It was in my best interest to go back to the figurative drawing board and begin a brand new plan. Just as I made to step over the unconscious speedster the patter of approaching feet stopped me. Three new players had just joined the party. I pivoted to see the masked covered faces. Specifically three card themed masks: An Ace, Queen, and Jack. Acting as the leader, the Ace began an exaggerated clap that sharply bounced off the steel walls of the shipping vessels.

"Looks like our intruder brought us a little present." The man grumbled through his mask. "We've been looking for a way to capture the Flash and we finally have him."

"What's your beef with him?" I watched as the three mask spread out to create a small triangle formation. "Don't like the hand he dealt?"

"You're funny!" The Ace snorted. "Out of professional courtesy… I'm gonna let you walk out of here. Right after you turn over the Flash."

I made to agree to the deal but no sound came out as I opened my mouth. The smarter part of me knew that it was in my best interest to keep my head down and walk out of this entire thing. The Royall Flush Gang was an organization with a far reach and wouldn't waste any time finding out who I was. Although he was unconscious-my fault- Flash was a superhero. He knew the dangers of the job. The other half of me-which I refused to label- was worked up in a frenzy. Kicking his ass into next week was one thing. Especially if it meant not being captured and thrown in jail. This side of me knew that if I left then the Gang was going to kill him. Kill the man who saved Central City. The man who indirectly protected my only family while I hid out in Hub City.

 _This isn't your fight, Kane_. I assured. _Just kick him awake and walk away_.

"Don't be stupid." Queen chided, seeing my indecision. "The enemy of your enemy is your friend."

Sucking in a deep breath, I used all my inhuman strength to blast the Ace with fog rather than to throw it. This doubled the strength of the usual smoke and set him smashing into one of the steel vessels. As the other cards looked on I kicked Flash in his side, earning I gasp of awareness as he woke.

"Flash and I aren't labeling our relationship yet." I stepped over him and crouched into a fighting stance protectively in front. "It's still too early."

Queen and Jack didn't respond to my joke, choosing to attack me from opposite sides. I jumped into Jack, neatly dodging his sloppy punch and landing two of my own right on his nose. He lunged for me, grabbing my slender shoulders and attempting to lift me from the ground. I allowed his momentum to spin my body and give me a perfect angle to roundhouse kick Queen in her temple before my feet found purchase on the gravel. Reaching back to Jack, I was able to tumble forward and throw the masked man over my head. We both ended up face down in the grey rocks, his grunt of pain muffled because of them. Just as I climbed to all four limbs, Queen returned the kick with a heel to the ribcage. The force rolled me to my back and the masked woman was attacking again just as I hurried to my feet. There was a series of blows landed and dodged on both sides, the experience reminded me of training with Cutter.

I backed away slightly, looking for an opening to gain the upper hand but in doing so I allowed Queen enough time to pull a blade from the back pouch of her outfit. _A-big-ass-blade_. She swiped a few times at me, cutting me rather shallow once across the abdomen before a counterattack forced the blade from her grip and broke her arm in the process.

Her scream of pain was lost in the wind as she was swept away in another haze of red and yellow. I grabbed the cut, honestly surprised at the amount of blood covering my fingers. I had been cut deeper than that dozen of times and never lost as much blood. Not to mention the pain that was spreading over my entire abdomen and radiating to my back. It was a biting, burning sensation that usually reserved for being hit with bullets or a grenade. The pain turned into fire and I wasn't sure if the snarl of agony was coming from me or not. My knees buckled, sending me roughly to the ground.

"Kane…" A voice called but I couldn't quite make out their words. Judging by the gust of wind that knocked my hood back, Flash was somewhere in the distance. I glanced up, surprised to find him significantly closer than I expected but I couldn't focus on him. The entire area was shaking as if Central City was on the verge of an Earthquake.

I attempted to speak but my lips wouldn't form the words and blood _whooshed_ loudly in my ears. Flash crouched down, sliding his hands under my back and legs before hauling me up his chest. Colors produced by the city spun around above me but the seemed so far away. Everything seemed so far away.

 _Currently, back in S.T.A.R. Labs_

I regarded Cisco Ramon cautiously. Nothing about him seemed dangerous…actually he was rather…disarming. Cisco's onyx eyes were endlessly deep, sincere and warm. His body language reinforced his words as he wasn't aggressive or guarded. A frustrated breath ripped its way out my nostrils and I sat back on the soft mattress and willed my fluttering heart to stop.

 _Down girl_ , I chided. _We aren't out of the woods yet_.

"Where am I?"

"S.T.A.R. labs." He answered plainly

"Why am I here?"

"Tonight during your fight with the Royal Flush Gang the Queen stabbed you. The blade was laced with some kind of poison that knocked you out, sky rocked your blood pressure and temporarily impaired your motor functions." Cisco inched closer to the bed. "You could have died, if you weren't a metahuman."

"Damn." I groaned, lifting my shirt-which was now an S.T.A.R Labs sweater- I inspected that damage. The gash had been covered with a packing of white gauze and tapped down. They had taken care of me? "I'm gonna kick her ass."

"It'll be a better rematch than Alein vs Predator 2. That's for damn sure." Cisco joked, cracking a small smile.

I sucked down another breath, sliding my eye lids shut and blocking out his cute grin. "What do you want?"

"We want to know what you're after, Kane." He breathed my name. "These 'favors' you're doing…"

"Like I told Flash, I'm a hand for hire." I cracked my eyes back open to look at him. So Cisco knew that Flash and the Flash was working with S.T.A.R. Labs. "I'm no hero and I don't know anything."

"I don't believe either of those things. If you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a nerd." He reminded me gesturing to his graphic t-shirt. Star Wars this time. "So I do my homework. You excelled at Central Private…"

"Got expelled from Central Private." I added.

"Perfect four point oh GPA the two years you were enrolled at Central University," Cisco continued.

"Put my advisors' daughter in the hospital." I shot back.

"Hey from the police report I read, it looked like she ordered that can of whoop ass." He told me seriously.

Despite myself, I let out a laugh. A solid laugh, a tinkling sound that was foreign to my ears. Cisco smiled almost smugly.

"I got you to smile." He pointed out, banging his first together nervously. "My point is that you're smart. And as far as being a hero…you saved me from a bullet in the face. And it didn't look like the first time you had done that."

"Actually, it was. I'm not the saving type."

"Uh, see now that's just straight up not true." Cisco drew closer and the traitor butterflies in my gut fluttered under his onyx gaze. He was just an arm's length away. "You could have easily let the Flash die tonight but you didn't. You protected him and that right there tells me that there is more to you than you're willing to let on."

"I wasn't trying to be a hero by saving Flash and I wasn't being you're hero either." I allowed my gaze to wander all over the med bay, just anywhere but on him. "I was just trying to even the score."

"What do you mea…" He started but was cut off by a burst of wind and one agitated speedster.

The two men were standing just on the other side of the medical room's walls, catching their breaths. Rushing in from the hall, two more men joined the party and much to my surprise I recognized both of them. The older dark skinned gentleman had been one of the three guys that admired my Camaro outside of Jitters. Beside him stood none other than Dr. Harrison Wells…a man I thought to be dead.

 _Well, technically, I was supposed to be dead too_.

"Cisco have you lost your mind?" Flash questioned his partner. "We talked about this. Just because she saved my life doesn't mean we can trust her."

"Bar-uh-Flash. You brought her here, dude. That means…" Cisco defended but the black gentlemen stepped in.

"Why is she not restrained?" He asked over the argument. "Criminals just allowed to run all over S.T.A.R Labs now?"

"The Bracelets Ramon designed should suspend her powers while in contact with her skin and sedative Snow concocted should have kept her knocked out significantly longer. Restraints would have been redundant." Wells explained in one long huff. "That being said this woman is still dangerous to us all."

During the little spat between the partners, I shook off the last bit of the haze and climbed off of the bed. On slightly shaky legs, I made my way over to prop against the doorway and get in my two cents.

"They are right." I told the four men that spun around at the sound of my voice. "Restraints would have been smart for your own safety. For future reference, I don't need my powers if I wanted to hurt any of you. I could snap your neck without breaking a sweat."

No sooner than the words came out of my mouth the chocolate skinned man whipped back the tail of his coat revealing a badge and a gun. A gun that was now pointed at my chest.

"Relax Cop." I glared at the gentleman. "I said IF I WANTED. And I don't want to hurt any of you."

The four men exchanged glances, before the cop lowered his weapon but did not holster it. Moving cautiously, Flash stepped onto the ramp and put himself between me and the other men. My eyes automatically flicked to Cisco and the traitorous butterflies beat their wings against my ribcage once again.

The way he was looking at me was…unsettling. Cisco's black eyes were deep with secrets that I didn't know, seeing me through a lens that I didn't understand. There was something about his gaze that made me want to fidget and look away. God, how could someone's eyes make you feel naked? Like he was seeing my lies, my truth and my secrets all at once.

"What's going on?" A woman asked from the doorway that led to the main room. Her chestnut hair fell in her face but did nothing to hide her anxious expression. "My sedative should have lasted a lot longer."

My mind's eyes flashback to the night that I stopped the mugging of Cisco Ramon. Before I had gone outside I had seen him at a pool table with this same chestnut haired woman and another porcelain skinned man. I could barely recall his face but I knew without a doubt that I had seen the porcelain man with the cop the other day. My green eyes shifted between them all as I calculated.

 _Cisco Ramon._

 _Leggy, Chestnut haired woman that was apparently 'Snow'._

 _The Cop._

 _Flash._

Oh…Oh! I couldn't help the smirk that spilt my full lips as I looked to the Flash. His Green eyes, that strong jaw, porcelain skin and lanky build.

I all but purred the following words. "I know who you are, Hero."


	5. I know stuff

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and the well wishes. Sorry, If I haven't replied directly to you. I will another day. Im not having the best of recovery periods but today was better so I thought I would post something. Forgive me if it isn't the best! Blame it on the heavy medication! The Condition mentioned in the chapter is completely made up so please don't try to research it or anything. If any of you want to take a crack at the name Cisco is gonna give Kane…Go for it!**

Also If you have the chance check out my one-shot _Silver Clouds with Grey Linings_.

-Lex

The first time Cisco Vibed Kane was immediately following the shock that his Earth-2 doppelgänger was bae to the woman in question. Earth-2 Kane, to be exact. Cisco had been staring at Harry with wide eyes when the world tipped on its axis and colors flickered like entering a club with a strobe light.

He was transferred to a small, dingy bedroom with not much other than a nightstand, bedside lamp, and a queen sized bed with a sky blue blanket. Kane was perched on top of the duvet in nothing but a sports-bra and a very tiny pair of shorts. She was holding a picture gently between her finger tips with a fond smile on her full lips. If Cisco was honest with himself, the woman in front of him took his breath away. Her midnight curls just past shoulder length against the smooth peanut butter skin. Her lips naturally reddish, full and pouting. And then there was her Earth green eyes: somehow striking, somehow icy. In Cisco Ramon's book, Kane was a ten. No wonder Reverb locked her down when he was given the chance.

She was busy writing on the back of a picture and Cisco stepped forward to see her work. Tajsa McMillian's first school dance. Kane blew a frustrated breath out of her nose before sliding the picture into a frame. The young girl on the front had looked to be the spitting image of Kane. _Sisters_ , Cisco had guessed before he was transported back into the gathering with Team Flash.

The second time Cisco Vibed her wasn't until Barry had sprinted in with a barely conscious Kane in his arms. A Kane that was actually bleeding heavily from her side. Barry had rushed her into the Med Bay where Caitlin and Iris were already working.

"What was she hit with?" Caitlin asked, leaping into 'doctor mode' without question as the team had already heard the fight through Barry's coms.

"She was stabbed by the Queen of the Royal Flush Gang. The blade must have been coated with something because she immediately went down. She's been fading in and out." Barry huffed as he attempt to catch his breath.

"Barry are you hurt?" Iris asked, rushing to his side with her eyes scanning for signs of injury.

"I'm fine." Barry insisted. "Caitlin, we need her alive."

"Her heartrate is off the charts, blood pressure too." Caitlin announced to the group. Peeling back Kane's eye lids, Dr. Snow flicked a flashlight over her pupils. "I'm not getting a response either."

"Caitlin!" surprising himself, Cisco was the one to bellow in desperation.

"Iris, I need you to stop this bleeding while I bring down her blood pressure and counteract this poison. She's close to stroking out." Caitlin was tearing away the t-shirt that Kane wore. The action revealed a bloody wound on one side of her abdomen and a grouping of tattoos on the other. Four Roman numeral nines to be exact.

The men gave Caitlin and Iris room to work as they gathered in the Cortex. Cisco found himself oddly on edge as the sickly, pale color of Kane's golden skin sent prickles to the back of skull. He tried to convince himself that he would have a similar reaction for anyone that was poisoned by some crazy chick that was obsessed with cards. But this was different. This was the claws of anxiety scrapping at his chest as if he truly knew the barely conscious woman. As if he had a right to be concerned. As if he some sort of multiverse-cosmic-claim on her.

 _Did he? Surely that wasn't the way it worked_ …

Cisco attempted to distract himself by way of tinkering with the file S.T.A.R labs had on Kane. The day that Barry had seen Kane outside of Jitters, he had followed her into the park. There she had some intense conversation about her sister with a man later identified as Abraham Callan, a very rich lawyer here in Central City. The plot only thickened as the team discovered that Abraham was the McMillian Sister's foster father. Caitlin found Tajsa's medical records through a college friend, revealing to the team that the young girl had a crippling chronic pain condition called Lambert's Syndrome. An ailment birth only from the patient having a terrible accident that should have ended in paralysis.

With tight lips, Harry informed the team that Earth-2 already had a cure for such a condition. However, the serum would take a while to develop and there wasn't 100% certainly that an Earth-2 cure would work on a person from another Earth. Either way, Tajsa was clearly the way to get to Kane.

 _But was this the right hand to play?_

"I administered a sedative to make her more comfortable…and knock her out until we figure out what we want to do with Kane." Caitlin joined the group in the Cortex with Iris trailing just steps behind her. "She should be out for at least another eight hours. Maybe more."

"I don't understand this Meta." Iris groaned in frustration. "You said her sister's name and she goes berserk, even as far as to electrocute you into unconsciousness. But everything changes as soon as the Gang wants to kill you. Why?"

"She said that we hadn't defined our relationship yet. Like she isn't certain on if I'm an enemy or not." Barry rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke. "What if she didn't turn me over to the Royal Flush Gang because Kane wants to be the one that kills me?"

"That wouldn't be much of a stretch from what we have already encountered around here." Joe pointed out.

"We need her for information nothing more." Harry insisted in his gravelly voice. "Put her in the pipeline and wait for her to wake up."

Colors flickered in Cisco's eyes before his world tipped and suddenly he was transported into the near future. In this vision, Barry was standing just outside of Kane's cell in the pipeline. She was awake, leaning heavily onto the frame of the doorway. Her small body was wound tightly like a panther ready to pounce, even trembling in boiling anger.

"Let me out of this cage." She snarled at the speedster. "Right. Now."

"I'm not going to do that." Barry promised her, the short woman smacking the glass with an open palm in response to his words. She backed to the furthest wall of the cell, eyes shifting around the space as if she was calculating. Barry didn't seem to notice any of this. "I told you that you were done."

"You wanna keep me locked up?" She roared, trying to fuse herself into the blue wall. "You're gonna have to catch me first, Flash."

Kane lifted her hands high above her head and smacked her palms together with all of her considerable strength. There was a barrier shattering thunder, like one you hear from a dangerous storm that was much too close. The glass door of the cell crumbled and the resulting pulse threw his friend back about ten feet from his original position.

"What is it Cisco?" Barry asked, grabbing onto his friend's shoulder. Thus, snapping him back into the present timeline. "What did you see?"

"That we don't put her in the pipeline." Cisco banged his fist together. "But I have an idea."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDDCDDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCCCDCDDCDCDC

My mom used to say hindsight was 20:20. Turns out that it was actually true because in hindsight I shouldn't have announced that I knew what the Flash looked like under that mask. If I wasn't so impulsive I would have timed my declaration for a less tense moment.

 _Hindsight. It means I'll know better next time._

That was the only solid thought I could form as I was swooshed clear off my feet and slammed down into a chair in the center of the gathering room. The chair wasn't in the room two seconds ago and neither was the pair of handcuffs locked tightly around my wrist. With a huff, I tossed my windblown curls back only to stare into the barrel of a gun and a damn canon; held by the cop and Dr. Wells, respectively.

"Alright." I breathed, adjusting my uncomfortable position due to the handcuffs that restrained my wrist behind me. "This group is a tad more jumpy than I originally expected."

"How do you know who I am?!" Flash roared at me.

"It's your own fault that I know. The night I stopped Cisco's mugging, I had been inside the bar and I saw you playing pool with him and Legs over there." I nodded in Dr. Snow's general direction. "Then again the other day you were with Top Cop and his son outside of Jitters admiring my Camaro."

The group exchanged glances with each other, sharing a collective look of 'damn'.

"I don't know your name, only what you look like under that mask. And even if I did know your name I wouldn't do anything with that information. I already said I wasn't a threat today." I explained to the group. "You can put you guns down."

"We are supposed to just trust whatever you say?" Dr. Wells came a tad closer with his shoulder canon. "You behavior is erratic, you're clever, mission oriented and I have the feeling that we have just barely seen the scope of your skill."

"I'm a lot of things, woman of my word being one of them. I told Flash that should he get in my way again then we would have a problem. And we did. I could have attacked Cisco when I woke…" I looked past the two guns on me to see Cisco standing behind the arrangement of computers. His dark eyes were already trained on me and my stomach fluttered in response. "I didn't."

"If that's true then why did you save Flash from the Gang tonight after he foiled your plans again?" Cisco asked, his voice smooth and perhaps the calmest in the room. "You said you were settling the score."

"You're welcome." I scoffed at Flash. "By the way."

"Answer the question." Flash and the Cop instructed at the same time.

"The Metapocolypse." I started, watching the guns lower by just a fraction. "When it happened I was only months removed from my…situation and I wasn't ready to come home. I didn't even hear about the event until days after Flash and the CCPD saved the city."

"You sister lives here." Flash supplied, visibly reliving the horror of that time.

"I love this city but Tajsa is my home." I confessed. "You saved this city and everyone in it from a siege. That includes my little sister. So you…you get a pass."

"Generous." The cop sneered.

"We helped you when Queen stabbed you with a poison laced knife. If it wasn't for Dr. Snow your blood pressure would have gotten so high that you would have had a stroke." Flash supplied hopefully. "If you're really keeping score then you owe us another."

"Bill me." I suggested, relaxing back against the chair. The guns had been lowered but I clearly wasn't out of the woods. I could at least pretend not to be on edge. I squared my shoulders and lied smoothly. "You want information and I don't have it. So what now, Flash?"

"So now we make you an offer you can't refuse." Cisco anxiously banged his fist together again.

"Cisco…" Flash called his name in warning but the honey skinned man didn't back down.

"Tajsa…" He uttered her name with caution, waiting for any sign of hostility from me. He found none. "She's got Lambert Syndrome* a chronic pain condition. There is a cure."

"Youre lying." I accused, although his dark eyes told a story very much on the contrary.

"There is a cure. It just hasn't been used…in this part of the world. The cure has to be developed according to the patient's genetic code. She would need a series of injections over six months but at the end of that time Tajsa would be cured." Dr. Wells commented, choosing his words very carefully. "Not many doctors know of this development."

"As a doctor, I want to do everything I can to help your sister. I understand just how much pain she is in. This is a terrible condition that no one should have to live with, much less a girl her age." Caitlin appealed to me in a comforting voice.

I dropped my gaze to the floor of the room, attempting to calculate my options. If Team Flash knew the cure to her condition…she deserved that. But still I was hesitant. There had been a lot of people in my life…Abe being at the top of that list…that sold me a dream only to give me a nightmare. When I was younger my dad would say that sometimes, you had to take a leap of faith. Who better to put faith in than the superfriends?

"Let's review." I rested my gaze on each person. It was too simple. "I help you and you help Tajsa."

The team nodded and my eyes fell on the disarming Cisco Ramon once more. He was looking as me as one would a friend that needed encouragement. With bright eyes, an accompanying smile and I still didn't understand. There was something that I was missing about Cisco and honestly that excited me. I liked puzzles.

"And here I thought it was going to take much longer for us to define our relationship." I jingled the handcuffs before smirking at the chocolate skinned gentlemen. "How 'bout it, Cop?"

The gentleman strolled over and unlocked the metal restraints. I rose to my full height, all five foot two of me, and strode over to the superhero with my palm out. Green on green, His large gloved hand completely swallowed my own.

"You got a deal, Hero." I vigorously shook hands with the scarlet speedster.

"Barry." He corrected, finally pulling back his mask and revealing his boyish face once again. "Barry Allen."

"So Barry Allen…how do we further the plot?" I asked, craning my neck back. He was tall enough that I barely reached his shoulders.

"Next we need to start to understand your powers." Wells answered, earning my full attention. "And we do that by knowing about the accident that gave you these powers."

"Alright, the night that your particle thing blew up." I circled my finger around my head, just in case they didn't know what I meant. "I was at the Science Emporium that used to be downtown picking up my roommate, Josa. We were both bartending for a party that night that was gonna pack out the bar we worked at. Josa was working on an experiment that she wasn't done with but I was in a hurry because we were already late for check in. I was trying to help her put away all them chemicals and clean up when it happened. There was all this noise, like thunder and glass shattering. Something huge fell on me and I couldn't see anything. It was like the clouds from the storm outside had…"

"Of Course! A cloud! Everything just makes so much sense now." Cisco exclaimed, unbelievable excited. His words picked up speed as they tumbled of his mouth. "Clouds! Controlling wind currents, creating smoke, manipulating electricity as well as creating it! Not to mention that supersonic clap of thunder thing! Which I must say is so very super sweet."

"Hold on a second there, handsome." I was an impulsive girl with one or two more tricks up my sleeve…however…I was beyond certain that I hadn't used my thunder trick since coming back to Central City. It shattered glass, ear drums, and truly did more damage than I wanted to cause since I left A.R.G.U.S. Despite myself, tense muscle coiled and I stepped right into Cisco's personal space…ignoring the way his onyx eyes lit a fire in my belly. This was more important. "How, exactly, do you know about my thunder clap?"

"Uh, I uh…" He stuttered, biting along his full bottom lip. "I get headaches and visons. Y'know seeing different timelines and tearing through alternate dimensions. I, uh, I know stuff."


	6. So screwed

A/N: Heyy! I'm still in recovery but thank you all for the well wishes! Let me know what you think so this chapter!

-Lex

Cisco Ramon was a planner by nature. He planned the cold gun, just in case his best friend Barry turned out to be Darth Barry. He planned the Metahuman app so that the citizens could help protect their city. So, being the natural planner that he was…Cisco was already working on a few toys to enhance Kane's powers. Perhaps in another timeline Cisco would be engineering ways to stop Kane if she got out of hand but the young meta knew better. The woman in question put up a nice façade but cisco didn't need to Vibe to know that she had a heart of gold…deep, deep down.

 _Speaking of Vibing_

The room tipped again, altering his perception of colors until he was transported into the same dingy room…Kane's room. This time Cisco was seated on the sky blue duvet with Kane standing between his knees, hands in fist on her hips. With one hand, she gave him a shove…enough to force Cisco to his back while simultaneously climbing up to straddle his lap. Kane's nimble fingers peeled off her black t-shirt to reveal a grey bra with blue lace straps and happy little flowers that dotted the cups. Cisco's heart thudded in his chest, threatening to jump right out.

"What is going on?" Cisco asked but of course vision Kane couldn't hear him. "Really, I am not this lucky."

"Do you like it? I got it for you, Cisco." She asked, directing his attention to the fresh Tattoo under her left breast. A brand new Roman Nine… "You are my Nine."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

Living conditions in Central Heights Apartments leave a lot of be desired. They were raggedy, dingy, and dangerous. Well…for normal people at least. For me the one room apartment was more than enough. I didn't have much and had spent quite a bit of time in room that resembled a jail cell. And then there was the whole thing about being dead and staying low-key. Working with the Flash didn't exactly scream low-key but y'know…priorities.

I had stuffed a book bag with two spiral notebooks, six zip lock bags full of pictures and my laptop to take to my meeting with Team Flash. In short, knowing nothing of my marks was a huge lie. Amanda Waller had done more than force me to train until I was an effective killer and proficient with weapons. She had taught me the skills to gather intel and profile. Imagine my surprise when I turned out really, really good at it. Good enough that my primary position for an entire year was Intel until I was 'promoted' to a field weapon.

 _7:15 am_ , my watch read.

I didn't have time to dwell in my memories as I was scheduled to meet with the superfriends at 7:45. Thirty minutes wasn't a lot of time when the morning rush at Jitters was just starting. I needed one of those Flash espressos…and probably a bagel with extra cream cheese. Snatching up my bag, I left the apartment and started down the spiral staircase.

"Yo! Kane!" A deep voice called as I made my way out to the 'parking deck' of the run down building. "Shortie!"

"Manners, Kid." I snapped as the young man caught up to me, adjusting his school uniform. His name was Tyson and he lived two doors down from me…with his mom, two sisters and nephew. "They are gonna be important when you go to college next year."

"Good Morning, Kane." He fixed, opening the door for me to the outside world. "And you're right. I have my meeting with the Track Recruiters next week."

"I know. I got you a present." I promised, making my way to Camaro and propping against the hood. "If you got my stuff."

"I was gonna give it to you last night but you never came in." Tyson reached into his school bag and pulled out a white envelope. I didn't bother checking the contents…Tyson was a good kid. I knew he would have exactly what I asked for. "Enjoying the night life with some friends?"

"Something like that." I chuckled, thinking of shoulder canon Dr. Wells held last night. Fishing a wad of cash…something like $275…out of my glove compartment, I handed the bundle over. "Do not give this entire thing to your mom. Spend something on yourself."

"Kane! This is much more than we agreed on!" He gawked at the money, unable to do much more.

"Extra hundred and some never hurt nobody." I turned the key and my engine roared to life. "Now, don't be late for school. Central Private hates tardiness."

After a quick trip to Jitters and swerving through early morning traffic, I finally ended up at S.T.A.R Labs. Making my way through the empty hallway, my footsteps did not bother to echo. I could hear the early morning chatter of the team: Doctor Snow and Dr. Wells going on about something called the 'speed force'. Joe complaining about a tough collar last night. Cisco clacked away at the keyboard, explain some suit upgrade to Barry Allen. His tenor voice working through complicated words I didn't understand. To my credit, I hadn't stalked him yet but there were somethings I was pretty sure of.

 _One,_ Cisco was a genius. Dr. Wells had said that he created the bracelets that suspended my powers

 _Two_ , he was a meta…seeing through timelines and dimensions. What the hell did that mean?

 _Three_ , he had a kind heart: knowing how dangerous I was he willingly came within arm's length of me, joking and trying to get me to smile.

On top of all of that: Cisco was attractive, awakening butterflies deep in my tummy by just looking at me. It was those eyes, seeing right down into my soul. Urging down the steel walls I had built for my own good. Walls built with memories I couldn't let go. God, it was like I was in the ninth grade and the quarterback knew my name and I could just turn into a puddle. A school girl's crush. Just last year I was killing people at Wallers command. Didn't that make me immune to all this stuff. Well, didn't it?

"Holy Ninja, how long have you been standing there?!" Cisco huffed, hand to his chest as he turned.

 _Less creepy, Kane. Be less creepy_.

"I figure about five minutes. I would hate to be late." I strolled on into the room, around the row of computers and right up to a clear writing board. "Is this detective board all for me?"

"Yeah, even if you don't have that much information just post what you have…" Barry started, rising from his seat beside Cisco.

"Full Disclosure. I lied about not knowing the marks. I know them better than their wives." I interrupted pulling the items out of my backpack. "I'm a little bit too good at stalking."

Almost mechanically, I began setting up the board just as I did when presenting Waller with information. Posting up a big picture of each man only to follow up with smaller pictures, receipts, notes and any other data I gathered. The team collectively held their breath as I worked, trading looks and obviously staying out of my way.

"So the information I gathered was…"

"Much more than we expected." Joe commented from behind the computer desk.

"I was given a week to not only find these guys but to find the best way and time to steal from them. To steal items kept on them at any given time." I explained, still setting up the board. "I have to know the habits of each man. How they think and tick…"

"But isn't the heavy stalking overkill. Why don't you just snatch the item randomly? Like a pick-pocket?" Caitlin asked, coming closer to the board to analyze.

"Just like you said Dr. Snow, average pick-pockets steal from average people. Random people. If these men could have been pick-pocketed then Abe would have gotten any street kid that knew the trade to it. Instead, Abe asked his foster daughter…a literal weapon…to do it for him." I turned to the group, eyes falling on each person. "That alone tells us a lot about this entire operation."

"That these men were not average or were holding rather sensitive information." Joe supplied, earning a nod from me. He walked closer to get a better look at the board. "But what about the murders?"

 _Damn it_

"Are these men dead?" I asked, pointing to the board for clarification.

"Is murder not a part of the your 'favor' package?" Dr. Wells snarked.

"I haven't killed anyone in over nine months." I shrugged. "What was the cause of death?"

"Both men were discovered exactly five hours after you attacked…"

"Confronted!" I scoffed at the cop.

"Confronted…" Joe allowed. "Both had their necks snapped clean in half."

"The bruising suggested that it was done with one hand. The left hand." Barry inclined his head to me. Pointing out that I held the marker in my left hand and almost earning a chuckle from deep within my chest.

"She's ambidextrous." Cisco offered, surprising the hell out of me. How the hell did Cisco know _that_? Did Abe even know that?

"I know things…remember?" Cisco soothed in his tenor voice, reading my mind.

"Right…" I recovered first. "Snapping a neck with one hand is certainly within my wheelhouse. But just to reiterate I haven't nor am I going to kill anyone in Central City."

"So Honest Abe Callan gave you the orders to steal from Carter and Fortune?" Barry clarified. "Why would one of the wealthiest men in Central City do that?"

"I don't know. The official order was to retrieve a drive from Carter, a key from Fortune…both with the inscription: Hydrate." I went over to my bag and pulled out my old laptop. "I copied the files from the drive onto this computer and saved it all under 'nine'. The content is all encrypted in some computer code that I don't understand. Ten will get you twenty that we'll get a majority of our answers from that."

"So Kane, why bother to collect all this information if you're just a 'hand for hire'?" Dr. Wells asked. For the guy who created all the metahumans…he sure seemed not to like me.

"I've got a nosey and untrusting nature. Plus, the order came from Abe." I rocked back and forth on my feet. "And I hate Abe."

"This is some real intelligent profiling. Something we would teach in the police academy." Joe stepped back from reading that data in the notebooks. "Where did you learn this?"

"Amanda Waller." I responded watching Barry drop his head in frustration. Long fingers ranked through his short hair. "Ah, you're a fan of her work."

"One of our friends in Star City works for A.R.G.U.S. Last year, He dropped by to tell us that Amanda Waller was using metahumans as weapons. I just thought that ended with King Shark." Barry explained, reading over Joe's shoulder.

"Waller used to make us swim in his tank. Scary."

"Told we needed a bigger boat." Cisco quipped, a majority of his focus on extracting the files from my computer.

"Oh and we've got a problem." I reminded the group.

"Problem?" Barry repeated.

"Small problem. So Abe expected me to get the key from fortune and I didn't. Unfortunately, Abe is going to call me and ask where his loot is. I would have told him that the Flash ran interference and screwed up the mission. However, we are friends now." I walked right up to his lanky frame. "Any ideas?"

"No, that's good." Barry replied. "Let him think that you are still in his corner. That way if he should ask you for anything else we'll know. Before long we can start putting pieces together."

"Whatever you say, Hero." I mock punched Barry in the shoulder. "You're the boss."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDDCDCDCDCDCDDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

Caitlin and Harry were in the med bay; Barry and Joe at CCPD. The cortex had cleared, save for Kane and Cisco. And the latter was still reeling from his trip to a further timeline. Kane twisted the dry-erase marker between her fingers like Vader wielding a lightsaber. Her short, curvy frame swayed side to side as she calculated, completely focused on the board. Cisco never thought he could ever enjoy watching someone think. Her green eyes narrowed, white teeth sneaking out to bother her full bottom lip. Like a moth to a damn flame, Cisco found his feet pulling him over to the young meta. Close enough that her attention transferred from the data to his onyx eyes.

"Can I ask you something?" Cisco's voice was low; like he was trading a secret.

"What's on your mind, Genius?" Her tone matching his own.

"Uh," There were actually a lot of questions of his mind but Cisco chose the lesser of the evils. "The Nines. What do the Nines mean?"

"Oh," Caught off guard, Kane looked down to check that the tattoos on her wrist. "It's a memory from my dad. He died when I was twelve in a car accident."

"Oh," the young man replied, looking for a way out of the situation that had just turned awkward.

"Um, my dad had a habit of talking like a fortune cookie." Kane started, shyly if Cisco wasn't mistaken. The usual smirk on her lips had turned into a coy half smile. Her green eyes soft. "He used to say that nobody could be a perfect ten, cause there was always a flaw y'know. That the closest we could get was a nine. He used to call my mom his 'nine'. Said he wouldn't find another like her."

"Youre right. That does sound like a post Panda Express fortune cookie." Cisco chuckled. He could imagine a young Kane, hanging on her father's every word. "But it's nice."

"Yeah, I guess by marking myself up with 'nines' while I was on the Task Force..." Kane paused as if choosing her next words carefully. "I was telling myself that I was still someone's Nine."

"You are." Cisco blurted, mouth moving faster than his brain.

 _Damn._ He scolded _. He was soooo screwed._

"Whatever you say, genius." Kane smiled gently, circling back to the chairs behind the row of computers. Cisco approached slowly, studying the woman. His powers allowed him to sense the energy of a person. Tension rolled off of her in waves, crashing into him hard. She covered with an easy smile and sarcastic drawl that would distract anyone else. Anyone else that wasn't paying attention. Anyone else that hadn't noticed that her fist were always clenched.

 _That_ bothered Cisco on a level that he didn't quite understand.

"ok, Not that I'm against it, but how do you know I'm a genius?" Cisco questioned, leaning over the railing that separated them. "Like is it written on my face or something?"

"I know stuff," The smirk was back in place as she crossed her jean-clad-legs at the knees. Raising her hand, she ticked off on her fingers as she listed the team members. "Superhero, doctor, mad-scientist, detective…"

"Genius?" Iris confirmed, pointing at Cisco as she entered the Cortex. Kane leaned back in her chair as if to get a good look at the ever stylish Iris.

"Y'all have your own prom queen too?" Kane quipped.

"I was not the prom queen." Iris corrected.

"Runner up?" Wally followed in behind his sister. The caramel skinned man's eyes grin doubling as he laid eyes on Kane. Her own mirroring his exactly.

"Well," she purred, equally surprised. "Hellooooo handsome."

"Handsome?" Cisco heard himself repeating the endearment along with Iris.

"What are you doing here?" Wally asked, ignoring them both.

"I'm a friend of Cisco's." Kane answered simply, pointing to the man in question.

"You are?" Once again the words tumbling out of Cisco's mouth. Three pairs of eyes…two brown and one green…turned on him in mixtures of confusion and amusement. Cisco immediately straightened, donning a false bravado. "I mean, yeah, I've known Kane…longer than everybody else here. We, uh, met at a bar recently."

"If I remember correctly, I owe you a look under my hood." Kane grinned wickedly at Wally. Cisco felt butterflies batter against his rib cage. Not the happy butterflies either. Angry ones, dare he say jealous ones…

"You do?" Iris asked, looking between the flirty woman and her little brother.

"Kane has this 1969 Camaro. Perfect condition, matte black paint job… completely sick." Wally explained to room in his most innocent voice. "Last time, she promised me a look at the engine."

"A promise I intend to keep."

It hadn't exactly escaped Cisco's attention that Kane was a huge flirt. She had even asked Flash out to sushi during her first encounter with him. But Cisco could shake the vision, the quite moment between him and Kane. He could feel her weight on him. The trust rolling off of her in waves. That was one timeline that he wanted to work toward…

"Kane, I need to see you in the med bay." Cailtin announced, sensing the tension rolling off of her best friend as she walked into the cortex. "Just a continuation of the previous test. Then we could talk some more about a cure for Tajsa."

"No sweat, Doc!" Kane spun on her heels and began to round the corner. Yet, instead of following Caitlin, Kane sauntered right up Cisco…popping his personal space bubble. Mischief danced in her grass colored eyes. "Cisco, we don't have to be friends…"

"Kane, listen, I'm…"

"We can be enemies." She interrupted in a serious tone, eyes teasing. " You look like the kind of guy that keeps your enemies close."

With that she followed his partner and friend into the med bay. Leaving the young metahuman with an overheated center and his teeth barring down into the knuckle of his middle finger.

 _Yep,_ he confirmed. _He was sooooo screwed._


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: My recovery period is teaching me the art of patience…Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

-Lex

"What you have here is a heavy bag that has been _Cisco'd."_ The genius presented with a flourish as I walked into Barry's running room.

It had been exactly a week from my original meeting with the superfriends and Dr. Snow was still running her never ending test. I wasn't exactly excited to be a lab-rat, yet I was willing. At least all the annoying poking and prodding was consensual. In truth, the test were the last thing on my mind. In the forefront, I was kinda pissed that I had hit a dead end on my side of the deal. At this point my only lead was Abe's promise of more favors.

Just as I predicted, Abe called a meeting with me over coffee and was a tad upset that I hadn't gotten the key from Fortune. I rolled my eyes, snarked, and blamed Flash for scrubbed mission. Arguing Abe down, I insisted that I was compromising my low-profile…thus the term 'favor'.

" _Well, I'm sure that you'll make it up to me." Abe supposed as he picked at his low-fat-gluten-free Danish. "You've always been great at learning from your mistakes. You got that from me."_

My only response at that moment was to knock my espresso over and let the liquid flow into his lap.

"Sounds Serious." I bounced on my toes, moving to stand in front of the red heavy bag. Caitlin was wordless attaching wireless monitors to my wrist and forehead.

"Oh it is. Y'see your average punching bag is full of sand, your bag full of balls of steel. Weighing in heavier than you've been hitting lately. By my calculations, you expend enough force in one punch to make the steel 'give', similar to a human body. Coupled with this metal is an alloy that will allow me to control the bag from the inside." Cisco granted me a smug smirk. "Kinda to hit you back."

"Anytime you wanna fight one on one Cisco just let me know." I told him without meeting his eyes as I slipped out of my black hoodie. Those very eyes scanned my sports bra/capri combo, leaving stokes of heat in their wake.

 _I ignored it._

"The purpose of this is to test your endurance." Caitlin started, giving Cisco his out to check the controlling sensors on the heavy bag. "See your abilities allow your cells to hold on to five times the amount of energy that a human can store. Therefore…"

"It takes more to ware me down." I supplied, scratching at the thing that she stuck to my forehead. "Got it Doc. You want me to go 12 rounds with the bag."

"Yes, I do." Caitlin smacked my hand away from the sensor. "And stop doing that. Youre going to pop it off."

"Alright, let's give this a go." Barry suggested, clapping me on the shoulder with soft hands.

"Yeah, do your worst. " Cisco agreed, starting back towards the Cortex. Reaching the door, he took a deep breath and turned back to me. "Just…Let it out."

A whirling sound coming deep from within the bag signaled a start. Tentatively, I slide into a fighting stance and gave an experimental punch. The steel beans inside rippled under my knuckles but otherwise pushed back with almost half as much force. Smiling to myself, I did just what Cisco suggested…I let it out. Raw strength rippled through my muscles, crashing into the boxing bag like the winds of a storm against an old house. The Cisco'd device trembled under my full power and to my excitement did not buckle. Usually, I worked to modulate my strength and using the full capacity felt almost liberating. Therefore it should have surprised me that I got lost in the session. Smacking the bag with my fist, knees, legs, elbows, and feet. All the while the device took my punishment.

Until my boldness turned to arrogance…Until my right hook traveled uneven and the skin across my knuckle split completely open.

"Ow!" I yelped in pain, yanking my hand back from the bag. "Ah damn."

"I think that's enough with the heavy bag." Caitlin was the first to rush back into the room. Gently she grabbed my hand, surveying the blood pouring out across my knuckles.

"I'm fine. You know how fast I heal." I protested to her poking at my shattered knuckles.

"That was a hell of a few rounds though." Cisco admired, checking on his tech. "I was worried that this baby wouldn't hold up."

"Funny, I've been known to break all my toys." I grinned at him. "Glad to know you can keep you, handsome. I'll keep it in mind."

"The monitors read that you were putting out force equivalent to that of a 140 pound jackhammer." Caitlin was already working to clean the wound and damn did it sting. "Impressive."

"What else can you…" Barry waved his hand in my general direction. "do?"

"You've seen the extent of what I can do, Barry Allen." I promised. "Controlling wind currents, blasting smoke, strength, sensing changes in the air, running electricity over my skin."

"That's not true." Dr. Wells commented, clapping his elegant hands together and appearing right out of the thin air. "Ramon saw you creating thunder with a sonic clap of your hands."

"First of all, I do not understand how he saw _that_ because I haven't done _it_ since coming back to Central City. That was something I did during my stay with A.R.G.U.S. and not of my own free will. I'm not going to demonstrate it for you." The cut in my hand didn't sting quite as much as I talked to the mad scientist. He had been looking at me like I was a villain in a melodrama since I walked in week ago. "Fight me."

"Are you afraid of the damage that you'll cause or the further damage that it'll cause you." Wells took a few punctuated steps in my direction.

"I said no. So step the hell off." I warned, wrenching my bloody hand from Caitlin's grasp.

"Why don't we all just dial back?" Cisco suggested to the room. "Whoosah!"

"Damn the whoosah." I argued, working to lower the volume of my voice. "What did I do to piss you off, huh?"

"Oh nothing, I just don't like you." Wells answered plainly. "And I don't trust anyone who covers up their true nature with sarcasm and charm. In my experience, that action only serves to hide the monster inside."

"And you created that monster." I snapped back. "What does that say about you, Doc?"

"Alright, That's enough." Barry stepped between me and the man in question in the literal sense of the world. I backed down first…though I wasn't 'outgunned', I was certainly out numbered. "We are not done."

"I'm not in the mood." I snarled at the speedster, ripping off the sensors. "And I just told you that you've seen all my abilities."

"Actually," Cisco approached me with caution, a clipboard in his hand. "well, theoretically, if you have cloud capabilities then you should have an absorption factor. Being that your metabolism is…"

"Your loosing me, Whiz Kid."

"I think you can absorb energy…" Cisco tapped rhythmically along the clipboard. "Such as electricity. Such as lightening."

 _Lightening?...Karma really was a bitch._

"Flash's Revenge."

"Think of it more as a test of your abilities." Barry's grin spread like butter across his lips, and if he wasn't kinda adorable I would have knocked it off.

"Let's go, Hero. Before I change my mind."

The team led me through the maze of hallways and into an arena that looked suspiciously like a garage. One could only wonder what kind of test were conducted in such a room. Barry led me about twenty feet into the room and away from the team, all the while explaining just how this was going to happen. It wasn't all that different from our very first encounter.

"Kane, This is something I've been working on." Cisco rushed up to me with bright eyes and a grey Kevlar vest bunched in his fist. "It should help absorb the blast."

"Thanks, Genius." Donning the garment, I was surprised to find that it fit like a second skin as I zipped it closed.

"Ready Kane?" The tone of Barry Allen's voice could almost be mistaken for excitement. He was less than five feet from me, bouncing on his toes like only a runner would.

"Hit me with your best shot, Flash."

His only response was a smug smirk as he took off in a burst of colors. The wind he created whipped around me viciously as Barry raced in a perfect circle, lightening bouncing off of his frame. Just like our first fight, the air seemed to grow thicker…the current almost uncontrollable, moving at a velocity only the Flash could inspire. Instinct was nipping at my heels as if begging me to grab the current and fight back. But just as the thought crossed my mind, Barry Allen was pivoting in front of me…a bolt of steaming light in his hand. I pulled a deep breath down to my toes as the bolt traveled the short distance between us. Unlike last time, I had a clear sense of the situation. I could see the unshaped energy cracking and flickering. The slight change in the temperature of the air in response to the heat of the lightening.

Square in my chest, the bolt collided with my body. I don't know exactly what I expected…but I didn't expect to feel the pure energy travel up and down the veins of my body. Every hair seemed to stand up straight and if I didn't know better I would say my brown skin was glowing gold. A scream of excitement built up in my chest but refused to be pushed out. The pressure pounded in my ears, lifting me up to my toes while my heart took off in a sprint.

 _Flashback._

"C'mon Daddy!" I begged from the backseat as my parents climbed into the front of the convertible GTO. "Tell me where we're going?"

"Yeah, Daddy." Mom mocked in a childish voice before switching back to her own. "Seriously, you've been secretive about this trip. Where are you taking us?"

"Now would this be a surprise if I told you." Daddy asked, already swerving through traffic

"Richard…" mom groaned in warning, tugging gently on her impossible coils.. She hated surprises.

"Shay." Dad retorted, turning his grass green eyes on her.

"Kane." I giggled.

"Taj-ja!" My one year old sister shrieked from her car seat, wanting to be a part of the conversation

"Alright, Alright." Dad raised his hand to stop the madness that was about to ensue. "Since my darling wife is a worrywart…I got the job in Hub City."

"At the hospital! Honey! That's fantastic!" my mom bounced in her seat. "I knew you would!"

I opened my mouth to tell him that I was proud of all his hard work but the sound was drowned out by a sharp screech. Not from a person or the music on the radio but the sound of tires fighting the brakes of the car. The car that was going much too fast, pushing through the intersection. The very intersection at which the McMillian clan sat.

DCDCDCDCDCDDCDDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

Initially, Kane's reaction to the bolt exceeded Cisco's expectations. Striking the center of her chest, the lightening disappeared into her body like a sponge soaking up water for the first time. The green of her eyes turned an ice grey, twinkling in her head like stars. Her short frame was haloed by a fierce gold that was sure to burn Cisco if he was an closer.

 _Beautiful_

The sentiment was short lived as the sight before him turned nightmarish. The blood rushing through his ears completely stopped as did the very beating of his heart. Kane crumpled into a lifeless heap on the floor and for a second…not a single body breathed. But then time started to tick again and Cisco's feet moved faster than they ever had. Barry was already there, cradling her head and checking for a pulse.

"The vest must have forced far too much absorption." Cisco wasn't sure if he was explaining to Kane or Barry.

"I think she's just overwhelmed and her body shut down because of it." Caitlin was calmer than both the men. "Did she hit her head?"

"No I didn't." She groaned, taking a deep breath before she peeled her eyes back. Green of her eyes back in place, Kane attempted to unfold herself from the concrete. "I'm fine. I just need a minute."

"Take it easy, Wonder Woman." Cisco soothed, urging her back down by her shoulder. "That was a nasty fall."

"I said I'm fine, Cisco." She snatched out of his grasp roughly, locking with his gaze long enough that Cisco could see the deep haunting swirling behind her grassy eyes.

Standing to attention, Kane forced down the zipper of the vest and handed the it back over to the young genius. She hardly waited to see if Cisco's fingers actually gasped the garment before she was ripping out of the arena. The whole situation reminiscent of their very first encounter that ending in her running out of the dark alley way.

"Alright," Cisco whooped at the group as he exited the scene. "I'm going to put some more work into this vest. And the gloves that go with it."

"Cisco, man, wait up." Called Barry Allen, rounding the corner to catch up to his best friend and partner.

"I must have gotten the calculations wrong." Cisco was already tinkering with tech on the Kevlar. "Kane's absorption factor must be higher than I assumed. As it is the vest is acting like a mega-sponge on top of an already powerful one."

"Uh huh," Barry agreed, hovering slightly too close to Cisco's work bench.

"What?" The genius asked, hand paused halfway from reaching for a screwdriver.

"Oh nothing, I'm just wondering why you're in here." Barry shrugged, palm to his porcelain face. "Instead of where you should be...with Kane."

"Barry, I don't know." Cisco huffed, raking his fingers through his well-conditioned hair. He hadn't told anyone about the last Vibe that involved Kane. Somehow, it seemed too personal. "She's constantly hitting on me, which means nothing because I kinda think that's her version of friendly."

"Dude, she may flirt with Wally and even me but Kane likes you. I mean, Kane only agreed to help us because you where the one to make the offer." Barry reasoned. "Then there is the Earth-2 thing."

"Just because Iris is your bae here and on Earth-2 does not mean that everybody gets that Disney ending." Cisco insisted. Superheroes always got the girl. "Plus, Kane's got this protective shielding that I don't know how to break through."

"So did Lisa Snart but you…" The speedster started, only to be cut off by his friends' groan.

"Have a type. Oh, no." He slammed his forehead down into his arm with a distinct thud. How had this happened? "I have a type! Plastique, Golden Glider, Hawk Girl and now…"

"Are you seriously telling me that you don't have a name for Kane yet." Barry snorted. "Seriously?"

"Look at this, She's making me crazy already." The young genius howled in agony.

"Ok, let's try this." The speedster proposed. "How do you feel about Kane."

… _How could he explain this?_

"Kane is like a storm. Like a damn thunderstorm."

Brooding…menacing and he could see those dark clouds behind her eyes. Giving off thunderous warning signals as she draws closer. Harmless in reality, only serving to make her seem more ruthless than she really is. Not that Kane needed that because by nature…She was dangerous. Enough that he want to flee and take cover but he just couldn't. Suddenly- here she is, she's giving him hell. A downpour of seductive words and energy whipping like a roughened wind. But Cisco didn't want to leave. Despite the noise and the tricks and the thick air all around…lightening sparks just enough to part the clouds. Just enough to see her true beauty.

Just enough to make him wish to dance in the rain.

"Whoa." Barry breathed, alerting Cisco that those words came out of his mouth. "You need to go find her, Cisco."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCD

"I said I wanted to be left alone." I reminded a light-footed Cisco. I didn't even need to turn around…my body was always acutely aware of his. "How did you find me?"

"The first time I met you it was because you jumped off the roof." Cisco replied, he took a couple of uncertain steps. "I figured it was your thing."

"We're closer to the sky this way…" I commented, although I was looking the wrong direction. My focus was down on the seemly busy people of Central City.

"When you woke up from fainting, it looked like you saw a ghost. You just ran out so fast and I…" He paused as if his words were about to run away. "If you need someone to talk to I'm listening."

"I, uh, I think about my parents a lot. My actual parents, not Abe." I clarified, gathering myself before turning to face Cisco. "But I purposely never think about the day they died. When I fainted, that is exactly what I saw."

"I'm sorry," He comforted.

There is was again, the look Cisco gave me the first time I came to S.T.A.R labs. His dark eyes were looking past my skin and right into the deepest part of my soul. The ghost of a shiver crawled up and down my spine as if I was standing completely naked in front of him. As if I had anything to fear. As if he could hurt me worse than anyone else.

 _Could he_?

"It was a random Saturday and my dad woke us up bright and early. He had some surprised outing planned and my mom hated surprises. She had anxiety about having the wrong reactions to things, not wanting to disappoint by not showing the right amount of enthusiasm. Daddy claimed that most people just didn't know how to read her." I shut my lips tight, fearing the speed at which words were coming out of my mouth. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't…"

"Kane." Cisco strolled closer, eyes prompting me to continue.

"He had just gotten a nurse practitioner position in Hub City. I guess we were going to celebrate or something. I heard it before I felt it. The skid of tires from a car that couldn't stop right before crashing into us head-on. My parents were killed on impact…Tajsa ended up with her condition."

"How did you and Tajsa end up with Abe?"

"No parents, you end up in the system. They wanted to separate us but she screamed bloody murder every time I so much as left the room. Abe came in like a White Knight, had a wife named Katie who wanted kids." I answered simply. "We were more for the family pictures, charity galas and beauty pageants."

"Gotta be honest, Kane. I don't really see you as a pageant girl." Cisco joked, flashing a grin that made me want to smile in return. "Not that you aren't beautiful."

"Trust me, the judges didn't see me as one either." I chuckled. "My sister has better attitude for that stuff anyway…inner beauty and all of that."

"So if you're really good at stalking and gathering intel… " he asked, taking the five necessary steps to breach my personal space. "Why haven't you stalked your sister?"

"I have. I've tracker her online, followed her…" I folded my arms neatly to create space between us. "I've even got one of her classmates tracker. Kid lives in my building."

"Why haven't you tried to contact her?" Cisco questioned.

"Because despite my hatred for Abe, she is better off with him. I cant pay for her medication or the pain therapy." I answered, scanning his dark eyes for questions.

"And?" Cisco pressed innocently.

"I'm not the person who she remembers. I've might not have been much of a role model before but I didn't have any blood on my hands." I broke eye contact first, looking up to the slightly cloudly sky. The air was slightly more humid…it would rain by noon. "That's what I meant by settling the score. I figured if I do some good, I could balance it out…enough that I'll resemble that girl again."

"You can, by working here with us. I mean outside of foiling your foster's dad plan's and stopping whatever Hydrate is. We do a lot for this city. More than you know."

"Risk of sounding like a broken record aside: I'm no hero."

"Not yet," He countered without missing a beat.

I made to ask Cisco the question that had been burning in my throat for the past week. Why did he look at me the way he did. Like he saw a different Kane than the everybody else. Like he knew more than was acceptable. I wanted to asked, however I was interrupted by a blaring alarm on Cisco's cellphone. Fishing the device out of his back pocket, something on the screen made his eyes go wide. Wordlessly, I followed as he turned and ran. We were through the door, clamoring down the stairs and rushing back into the cortex in a flash.

 _Well_ , I mentally corrected. _Not in a Flash_.

"What the hell is going on?" I shouted to the Team as they had gathered around the computers.

"It's the Metahuman alert." Caitlin answered. "The same alert that led to you."

"This one is leading to an in-progress bank heist." Cisco clacked at the keys on the computer.

"Can you hack the security cameras so that we…" Joe started to ask but Cisco was way ahead of the curve.

A screen appeared with a live feed into Central National Bank. Citizens and employees alike were huddled into the far corner of the foyer, with two armed men standing above them. My blood boiled as one of the men pointed his rifle in the ace of a child more more than seven.

"There, that the meta." Wells pointed to the side of the screen, pulling my attention with him.

The man in question was cutting through the steel vault with… his fingertips. I blinked once, twice…just making sure that my eyes were playing tricks on me. Sandy blonde hair, broad shoulders and the flaming red of his fingertips…damn.

"I know this guy." I told the team, leaning over Caitlin to get a better look. "His name is Evan Fox."

"How do you know him?" Barry asked, already in the Flash uniform.

"We were on the Task force together." I confessed, running a concerned hand through my curls. "And last year I put three bullets in his chest."


	8. long ass day

A/N: hey everyone. I'm so happy with the response to this. I had a hard time with this chapter because I was afraid of 'doing too much' and making the chapter too long… but I worked it on out! Let me know what you think!

-Lex

Three bullets in his chest?" Joe repeated, incredulous. "Did you miss?"

"I don't miss." I promised, already pulling on my hoodie. "And I'm going with you, Barry."

"No you're not." The hero argued. "You just said that you tried to kill this guy. I am not taking the risk of an escalation."

"Barry, you don't…" I attempted to curl my fingers around his arm but in a whirl of wind my fingers found no purchase. Barry had already Flashed.

 _Rude._

"Barry be careful!" Caitlin shouted into the mic, worry lines creasing her features.

"These men have some serious firepower." Cisco observed. "I'm seeing Automatic assault rifles here. Military grade."

"I got it!" Barry checked back as a blur of red appeared on the screen.

Moving at top speed, Flash whipped around the two gunman effectively separating them from the citizens. He easily stripped the weapons straight from their gloved hands. The bulkier of the two gunman attempted to scramble back and grab one of the crying children for his protection…clearly he was far too slow. I blinked and Barry already had rushed the criminals out to the police vehicles. Fifty percent of the threat was and it hadn't even been two minutes.

"Everybody out!" Flash shouted in that vibrated voice. The citizens didn't have to be told more than once. In a mad scramble each person dashed for the door.

"Barry, Fox never goes anywhere without a back-up plan." I informed as Flash stalked toward the man in question. In the few minutes of commotion, Fox hadn't been distracted from breaking into the vault. His long fingers glowed an angry red as they sliced through the metal door. I could tell from the slight turn of his body that Fox wasn't oblivious to the situation…just biding his time.

"What does that mean?" He asked, voice coming over the speakers and bouncing around the cortex.

"It means that either there is another shooter or a bomb." I answered, leaning down to prop on the back of Cisco's chair. "I became his sniper after Deadshot died."

"Controlling air currents to manipulate the path of the bullet." Dr. Wells theorized. "Clever."

"Evan Fox." Barry called, achieving the man's full attention.

"Do not let him touch you." I warned. "The heat from his hands will basically incinerate your skin."

"The microfibers in the suit can absorb the heat." Cisco assured.

"You really are fast!" Evan acknowledged on a turn, flicking his welding goggles up to his forehead. "I heard this is your city now."

"Then you should know that I'm not letting you steal from these people." Barry announced, flexing his fist as the adrenaline pumped through his superhero veins.

"How about a trade? You let me steal and in turn I don't blow up the block."

"What?" Flash squawked.

"You heard right, Running Man!" Fox snickered. "Clock is ticking."

"Guys?!" Flash bellowed to us.

"Ok Fox is a creature of habit and he makes these bombs himself. Big blow but they don't look very sophisticated." I told him, looking for anything out of place on the screen. "Not only that but he'll keep the bomb close enough to see it."

"The silver shoebox under the teller's counter." Joe suggested. The words were barely out of his mouth before Flash leaped over. Wrenching the case open revealed a large digital clock with blaring red numbers that gave him pause.

 _Two Seconds._

"Run Barry!" I barked, gripping the arms of Cisco's chair. "Run!"

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

They had all heard the explosion and Barry's following assurance that he had gotten the bomb far enough from the city. A collective sigh of relief passed through the team…and even through Kane. With a groan, she pushed off of Cisco's chair and began a slow pace of the Cortex floor. Her back rigid, teeth worrying the skin of her bottom lip and nails digging into the fabric around her hips. Waved of second-hand worry crashed into the young genius as he had never seen Kane show any signs of distress. Not even with two guns pointed in her face.

"The vault is still closed." Joe noticed, looking at the screen. "He didn't take any of the money."

"Fox is smart. He probably just consider this a scrubbed mission." Kane commented without breaking stride. "And whatever he wanted he'll come back for."

"Whatever he wanted?" Barry repeated, rushing back into the room with his mask already removed. "Do you think he wanted something other than money?"

"I don't know." She answered in a distracted mumble.

"If he wanted the money then he had his chance while you removed the bomb." Caitlin reasoned. "But instead he left the bank."

"Jumped into a black SUV in the back alley but I lost him on the traffic cams as he went through the cross streets." Cisco told them as he continued to search traffic via video.

"Let's go back to you shooting him in the chest last year." Joe instructed, directing the groups' attention to Kane. "Why did you try to kill your partner?"

She didn't answer right away, absently looking at the floor like the blank space held answers. A short breath passed through the woman before donning her protective shielding. Her shoulders squared and relaxed but her hands were still balled into tight fist. Cisco was starting to see the calm exterior for what it really was…a sign of stress.

"Because those were my orders." Kane's gaze trained on Barry. "At A.R.G.U.S. the metahumans were separated from the captured villains because our cells were specially outfitted out hold each of us. Fox manipulated one of the guards into letting him out of the cage. Saying he was ill or something. He broke out, killing almost ten guards as he left. The agents tried to set off his kill-switch but it malfunctioned..."

"Kill-switch?" Harry repeated, his dark eyebrows pulling together.

"One way of controlling us. A surgically implanted at the bottom of our spines." She clarified, gathering the material of her sweatshirt in one hand Kane turned her back to the room. With the other had she edge down the top of her workout capris to reveal a two inch scar at the base of her spine. "They flip the switch, we go boom."

"That isn't in your spine anymore, right?" Cisco checked, his own voice sounding more strained than he wanted to admit.

"It was removed when I was released." Kane assured, fixing her clothes back into place. "Waller sent us out to find him and bring him back alive. We found Fox in France and it turned into a firefight…and I used that term very loosely. Guns, Arrows, Metahuman's. It was chaos, especially when Fox took hostages. Two boys under the age of ten. He shot them both in the stomach and by time we got them out of there and back to the hospital there was nothing to do."

"But you got the drop on him?" Joe prompted her to continue when she trailed off.

"Couldn't get a good angle on him at first from my vantage point but Harley led him right into my crosshairs." She explained. " I would have put them in his face but I was afraid I would hit Harley."

"How did you all track him?" Barry asked

"By the string of unexplained murders he left behind."

The couldn't wait for such a thing to occur. Cisco and Harry immediately got to work on a way to find the meta while Barry and Joe got back to their day jobs. Kane announced that she saw a connection between Fox and her two previous marks. Carter and Fortune did bank with Central National but held safety deposit boxes at the location. The ex-operative had an inkling that it wasn't just coincidence.

"Hey guys." Wally walked around the corner more than an hour later, fist bumping Cisco as the genius greeted him. Caitlin waved from her work station in the med bay while Harry hardly made eye contact. Looking over to the only person that didn't acknowledge him…"Kane."

"I'm mad at you, Wally." She did turn away from the detective board during the dismissal but her voice didn't quite hold the sting of her words.

"Still?" He questioned, leaving Cisco's side to approach the woman. "Oh come on Kane."

"Calling me at five am on a Saturday?" She growled. "Have you lost your friggin mind?"

"You said you don't sleep anyway." Wally shrugged.

"Such an offense is punishable by death Wally West." She finally granted him her full attention. Almost a foot shorter than him, Kane pointed accusing finger in his direction. He had the good grace to look guilty. "And don't you put those puppy eyes on me."

"In the interest of keeping my head attached to my body…" Wally rocked on his feet. "I'll buy you lunch."

Cisco wasn't trying to eavesdrop, honestly, but the exchange wasn't really private. But what his Abuela said about eavesdroppers. They never liked what they heard and Cisco would be lying if he said the easy interaction between them didn't inspire a pang of jealousy.

"You think my affection can be bought?" Kane scoffed playfully, folding her arms tightly over her chest.

"Anything you want." Wally grinned down at the woman, knowing he wasn't in danger of a beheading.

Kane appeared to deliberate for a short length of time until with a toss of her midnight curls…

"You better be glad you have dimples."

"Oh I am." Wally smiled big enough to flash his dimples before turning back to the Cortex. "Do you guys wanna come? Caitlin, Cisco, Harry?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking EOC for their lunchtime sushi special." Kane supplied.

"uh, that's cool, you guys…" Cisco attempted to refuse but his best friend-slash-partner clamped a cold hand on his shoulder.

"We would love to!" Caitlin answered for him. "It'll give me a chance to observe your dietary habits."

"I eat an alarming amount of fried rice, Doc." Kane quipped, strolling out of the cortex while jingling her keys. "I'm driving."

Just minutes later the group was strolling into the heavily decorated sushi restaurant. Caitlin squinted due to the mood lighting as she announced her quick trip to the ladies room. Kane followed, suggesting over a shoulder that the boys pick a table away from a window.

"Look I'm sorry man. Caitlin and I shouldn't have crashed your lunch date with Kane." Cisco attempted to apologize after a few wordless minutes passed.

"What? Dude this is not date." Wally assured.

"It's not?" The genius questioned. "Cause I swear I just saw you smooth talk your way out of A.R.G.U.S. level torture and right into some tempura shrimp and reinstated hotline privileges."

"Trust me, Cisco. It's not for lack of trying…" Wally sighed, opening the menus that already sat on the table. "Kane has me saved in her phone as _Kid_ West and suggested that I call this chick that lives in her building."

 _Ouch_

"Friendzone, it happens to the best of us." Cisco hummed in commiseration.

"But _you_ should totally go for it." Wally suggested, almost laughing at the dumbfounded expression on his friends' face.

"Go for what?" Caitlin asked as she and the other woman returned from the bathroom.

Ever-so-subtly, Wally pulled out the chair beside him and directed Dr. Snow to the seat. Without so much as a blink, Kane plopped into the seat beside Cisco. A slow grin spread along her lips as she caught his onyx gaze.

"For the spicy tuna roll." Cisco spoke as he recovered. "You know it's my jam."

Kane opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the furious jingling on her phone. Fishing the device from her hoodie pocket, she glared at the name on the highlighted screen. _Abe the Prick,_ Kane showed Cisco the screen but made no move to answer the call.

"Put him on speaker." Cisco instructed. "He might be calling with another job."

"I'm trying to enjoy my lunch." she answered as a greeting, obediently pressing the speaker option.

"Does the poor sap know that you're an expensive date?" Abe quipped.

"Does your wife know you're sleeping with the maid?" She clapped-back, making Cisco cover his laugh with a strangled cough.

 _Savage_

"Tonight. Shady Grove the abandoned apartments." He grumbled, ignoring Kane's snark.

"What if I have plans?" Kane responded, taking the time to make eye contact with everyone at the table.

"Give him a smile." Abe suggested. "He'll reschedule."

She ended the call without a parting statement, placing the device on the table with more force than was absolutely necessary. By the set of her grimace and the icy glare in her eyes Cisco could see that the hatred for her foster father ran deeper than simple resentment. The young genius wanted to ask the details of her complicated relationship but Kane wasn't exactly an open book. And a friendly lunch wasn't exactly the right time to ask.

"How do you know Abe is sleeping with his maid?" Cisco asked on a chuckle.

"The same way that Abe knows I'm an expensive date." Kane grinned, easily burying her earlier frustration. Winking, she whispered… "make sure you keep that in mind, Cisco."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

During my teenage years, I spent a significant amount of time with other delinquents in abandoned buildings and houses around Central City. The activities that took place back then were nothing less than nefarious but I was very much a babysitter rather than participants. However I was enough of a brat to allow Abe to think that I was a was the ringleader.

"Kane, I got them on first floor on the south end of the building." Cisco's tenor voice rumbled low in my ear. "Reading three heat signatures."

"Copy." I replied in the ghost of a whisper.

Earpieces were one of the universes most necessary evils. The always tickled the inside of my ear but at least I didn't have to listen to Cutter's rambling anymore. In my mind's eye, I could see the superfriends gathered around the cortex computers. Cisco had suited me with a tiny camera on the closed zipper of my jacket. Barry insisted on seeing exactly whatever Abe had planned for me. Stuffing my hands further into the jacket pockets, I walked up to the abandoned apartment building. The air was chilly and had an almost stale condition to it that put me further on edge as I ducked through the fence…And a 'keep out' sign.

"I'm on site." I whispered, entering the front of the building and throwing just enough smoke from my palms to clear the spider webs.

"Bad guys always with the creepy lairs." Cisco responded to the live video

"I told you…they crazy."

"Word," I uttered before pulling in a breath. The slight change in the air current told me that Abe was lurking. "Abe!"

"No need to shout." He scolded, his steps echoing on the tile floor.

"I thought you preferred dinner at the Country Club." I gesturing to the rotting space around us once he was in my eyeline. "Seems a bit rustic for your taste."

"oh, I didn't pick the venue." He guaranteed, gesturing to a second person coming up the hall. "Our mutual friend did."

"Spoiler Alert Dad." I shuffled, sensing the another disruption of air. "We don't have mutual friends."

"Dad?" A metallic voice questioned as their boots thudded on the wood floor and came into sight. "As in Daddy's little girl?"

"Fox." I breathed, instinct making the hairs on my neck stand up. "You're supposed to be dead."

"Don't Antagonize him, Kane." Joe instructed through the ear piece.

"Here I am, Princess." Evan tossed his blonde locks back and smoothed his leather jacket. "Don't feel bad though. You really did try to murder me."

"I didn't have a choice, Fox." I tried not to bristle as he called me that. I hated when he called me _Princess_.

"What did you do?" Abe turned to me, generously curious.

"She put three bullets in my chest." Evan growled, bunching his fist in the lapels of the leather jacket he wore.

"Rude," Abe reproached me.

"Don't let Abe get under your skin Kane." Barry warned just as I snarled at my foster father.

"Is that why you called me here? To kill me?" I flexed my fingers inside the pockets of the jacket. "If so it's gonna be a long night for you."

"What did I say about antagonizing?" Joe grumbled as Fox gave me a goofy smile.

"Actually, it was Abe's idea. We are offering you a job." He folded his arms across his scarily broad chest. "We made such a good team in the past."

"What exactly am I interviewing for?"

"The redesigning of Central City." Abe stepped forward. "You weren't here during the Singularity, during the Metapocolyse. People in this city were scared. Afraid to leave their homes. Afraid to walk down the street. Afraid…"

"Afraid you're going to start preaching." I sighed, cutting off the rant that was sure to come. "Make your point Counselor."

"Did I ever tell you that your sexy when your annoyed." Evan commented.

Abe and I mutually ignored him.

"So how does this work? You're taking back the city?" I checked. "People really don't like a dictator."

"Ah, that's why you make the people believe that it was their decision to give you the power." Abe corrected, blue eyes sparkling in the dim light. "It's simple really. Create a problem so bad that the average people of Central City turn to someone who can lead them. Someone they want to trust."

"Like you?"

"I wouldn't trust you as far as I could throw you." Evan moved to prop his six- foot- three frame against a door paneling, putting himself less than four feet from me. "But you do pay well."

"Luckily, there is another person lined up for that position." Abe went on, unbothered. "You two are needed for…firepower, shall we say."

"Those are some big guns." Cisco scoffed with Iris humming in agreement.

"In case you need something stolen, someone killed or someone...convinced." I guessed. "Let's say I want nothing to do with this."

"If you aren't part of the solution than you become part of the problem. Which I'm all for." Evan offered, his gaze roaming slowly over my figure. "I owe you bullets anyway."

"Oh, Evan Fox." I purred deep in my throat. "We both know you're a rotten shot."

"That's the definition of antagonizing." Dr. Wells complained.

"Kane, why must we go through this again." Abe groaned. "You always want to know if there is some grand plan to make you comply. As if you aren't going to do exactly what we want."

"We need as much information as possible, Kane." Barry coached.

"Humor me." I bated.

"If you don't agree to help us, I kill a child." Evan said, leaning easily against the door frame.

"He wouldn't." Iris gasped in the earpiece.

"You see, last year I saw your weakness. You tipped your hand." Fox pushed forward, almost an arms length away. "The Princess has a soft spot for the young ones."

"This wasn't a part of the agreement." Abe growled at my ex-partner.

"Carefully, Fox." I cautioned. "This is how you ended up on the hit list the first time."

"One kid every…twelve hours…until you wanna play." he supposed. "I figure I can start with infants. Burn their soft skull right in the palm of my hand before handing them right back to their parents. And I'll do it all in you're name."

Fox's gruff voice drifted to the back of my mind and the red wave of instinct colored my thoughts. Swirling the stale air current in my palm I blasted the man back with enough force to drive him through the rotting door frame and into another room. I leaped, knowing that if I relented that Evan would take his chance and fight. I landed on top of the broad plain of his chest, knees straddling his body for better purchase and my right hand curling around his thick throat. My hand was hardly large enough to completely grip but experience told me that the right amount of pressure would be all I needed.

Fox struggled beneath me but my strength was more than enough to put him in place. His leather gloves clawed at my forearms but there was no such luck for the deranged man. Footsteps pounded the floor behind us right before a loud 'pop' went off. Something small and metallic cut quickly through the cold air. I twisted my torso to the sound, flicking my wrist just enough to disturb the path of the almost invisible bullet that was heading for my back.

"Try that again and I'll make you eat that gun." I told the masked gunman that had been waiting in the hall. "…right after I'm done with him."

"Kane, no!" Barry and Abe both called in warning.

I didn't respond, just tightened my grip on Evan Fox. He couldn't kill anyone if I got rid of him first.

"You cant kill him, Kane." Cisco voice was much calmer than all the others that had been yelling. "You said you wanted to tip the scales back. You want your life back? Then not like this, okay. Don't kill Fox."

I've got eleven confirmed kills. Adding another to my body count wouldn't tip the scales very much.

"Let him go." Cisco ordered.

Sucking down a cold breath, I jerked my hand away from his neck. Fox sputtered and gasped trying to pull breath back into his lungs. Sat back on his chest and tried to channel all the excess energy into the simple task of breathing.

"Do not mistake mercy for weakness." I all but growled at Fox as I pushed myself off of him.

"There she is." Fox sat up from the floor, rubbing his neck. "The Homicidal Princess."

"Tell them you're in." Barry's voice came through the coms. "As much as you hate them…this is our way in to Hydrate."

I sighed, knowing that the Hero was right. It had been a long, long ass day.


	9. Platonic

A/N: Have you guys seen the Season 3 trailer, yet? I thought it was pretty dope! I use this story to experiment a lot with my writing…long story short : Cisco is in bold text and Kane is in italics. You'll see what I mean when we get there! Also, I'm taking suggestions on the Suit that Cisco is 'making' for Kane…If you wanna have a go at it! Lastly- thank you guys so much for the reviews, follows, favorites! You all are awesome!

Let me know what you think of the chapter!

-Lex

It was just on the underside of eleven pm when Cisco threw himself down into his worn out arm chair. Most days with Team Flash didn't tire him out because more often than not their heroics were pretty sweet. Helping Flash save the citizens from a concussive bomb lost some of its glory when the bomb maker had been a part of the Suicide Squad…and was planning to take-over the city. Blowtorch, Cisco had named him shortly before the Team Evil meeting.

Maybe this was really par for the course, just another week in Central City. Maybe he was still receiving second hand worry from Kane. Sliding his eyes closed, Cisco reflected on the days events. Well…the events concerning him and Kane to be exact. To have her open up to him about the accident that took her parents was sobering. They barely knew each other but she obviously trusted him like a childhood friend. And Cisco had the sense that Kane didn't even trust the friends from her childhood.

Then she took all of that further, from allowing him a glimpse in her past to controlling an instinctual urge to take a life. To trust his words and the sincerity in his voice in order to lead her in a less destructive path. The very thought that she put that much faith in him made his hearth want to jump out of his chest.

 _What's you next move, Cisco_? He asked himself and after much deliberation…Cisco found his fingers typing out the text somewhat of their own accord.

 **Hey,** was all it said.

 _Hey back,_ she sent after a few minutes have passed.

 **Whatcha doing**?

 _Brooding, meditating…drinking.,_ Kane replied simply.

 **One of those things is not like the other,** Cisco sung the words in his head as he fumbled in his fridge for day old pizza. He smiled widely as he shoved the slices into his megawatt microwave.

 _And who makes up the rules?_

 **You shouldn't drink alone** , Feeling that he should have better conversation, Cisco deleted the message twice before sending it.

 _Guess you better keep texting me Cisco._

 **Are you okay?** He texted between bites of reheated Hawaiian Pizza, accidently smearing grease on the screen. After two slices and no response Cisco picked up his phone again. **You didn't do it.**

 _Well I had some help._ There was an emoji attached to the message: it was one of those smiley faces with the blushing cheeks.

 **I'll accept your gratitude in the form of caffeine, Twizzlers, and other edible goods.**

 _Is that a proposition_? _Cause I'm sooo down if it is…_ Her response was almost instant. Cisco re-read the text and slapped a hand over his eyes before sighing at his own ridiculousness. _I'm teasing you handsome_.

A small snort of relief ripped its way through his nose as the light in Cisco's apartment blinked rapidly and dissolved into much dimmer colors. Cisco's vibes still came randomly but he had much more control over them now. Focusing his sight, Cisco stood in front of the Big Belly Burger in the Central City Mall. Directly in front of him was-surprise- Kane with a nearly lethal sneer on her face. Her grass green eyes were peering up defiantly into Fox's mirroring expression.

"You heard me," Kane growled. "I said I was done with that."

"Who are you trying to fool?" The man asked, shoving the woman back into the pillar behind her when she began to talk. Hand pressing against her sternum, he snarled… "I was there for your first kill, the second, the third and fourth. I watched you go from a bratty little princess into a machine. A order taking, target slaying metahuman machine. I saw the fire in your eyes when you snapped them in half. Despite your best efforts, you danced in that chaos. And you think youre just gonna be 'done' because that little chip isnt in your spine anymore?"

"I think that is what the hell I just said." Kane squared her shoulders and took a deep breath…a sure sign of distress.

"You know what I think." Fox stroked a thumb down her sternum with an almost tender look on his face. Any onlookers would have mistook the exchange as a simple lover's quarrel. "I think a girl like you will never be done…"

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

The knock on front door forced a noise out of me that was possibly more animal than human. A quick glance at my bedside clock told me that it was barely a quarter past eight am.

It had better be important.

"C'mon Kane. I know you're in there." The voice chided. A voice belonging to none other than Barry Allen.

"My oh my," I hummed, wrenching back the creaky door between us. "And what is a pretty boy like you doing in a slummy place like this?"

"You didn't answer your phone." Barry raised his hands higher: a drink holder in one and a brown bag in the other. "Coffee and biscotti."

"Did Wally tell you that my affections could be bought?" I said around a yawn.

"Oh come on Kane." Barry's smile was unwavering. "I ran right over here so the coffee is still hot."

"Oh God. You're one of those morning people." I pushed my curls out of my face and forced the door back. "It's no S.T.A.R. labs but it's clean and rent controlled."

Taking a small step to the side, I ushered Barry in with a sarcastic flourish. After a few steps he paused to take in his surroundings. The room itself was dark and aged: dingy beige walls, deep grey carpet, and stained tiles in the joining kitchen. However, thanks to Abe's hush money and my expensive taste…my furniture was no less than awesome. A black TV stand stood level with twin plush arm chairs and a matching couch. I couldn't stop the satisfied smile that crossed my face as Barry Allen melted into the grey cushions of the couch.

"Not that you aren't great company, hero…" I grinned, taking the sting out of my words as I reached or the coffee . "Why are you really here?"

"Uh, we need to talk." Barry wiped his hands on his jeans nervously but didn't bother to lift his head off the cushion.

"I know murder isnt particularly a part of your superhero crusade. So, I'm sorry about last night." I told him, peering into the liquid. "About losing control, not about trying to kill Fox again."

"Okay, We are going to find a way to stop Fox. Preferable without snapping his neck."

" Technically, I was strangling him." I corrected. "But you're the boss Barry. We'll do it youre way."

"We need to talk about the about the cure for Tajsa." Barry started, watching my reaction. Satisfied with whatever he found in my expression... "The genetic material that you gave Caitlin and Harry from your 'student stalker' was compromised. In short, they are going to need another sample. A fresh sample…like Tajsa standing in S.T.A.R. labs fresh."

Biting along the opening of the travel cup, I pulled down half of the scalding liquid and tried to fight a surge of panic.

"I need to meet with my sister." I summarized, voice sounding absent even to me. "The sister that thinks I'm dead and not a metahuman with the abilities of a cloud. The sister that doesn't know that I'm a ARGUS weapon."

"Was." Barry amended my previous statement. "WAS an ARGUS weapon. You aren't that anymore and you don't have to do this alone. You have friends that want the very best for you and for Tajsa. You got me, Wally, Caitlin…"

"She's my baby sister." I reminded. "I'll fly solo."

"That thing you do…were you act like you do need anyone. You think it proves your strength but it doesn't. All it proves is that you're afraid to let anyone close to you. That you rather hide behind who ever you've become rather than show anyone who you really are." Barry assessed, breaking his biscotti in half and stuffing the right half into his face.

"CSI, superhero, and even part time psychiatrist." I folded my sweatpants covered legs into Indian style. "What do you want from me?"

"I'm just suggesting that sometimes things like this become easier when you have someone there to keep you grounded. Someone you trust and know will support you." Barry scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Like Cisco…"

There it is. His reason for coming over...

"From the experience of fighting you, twice, when you jumped on Fox I figured that it was over. You had him square and that you were going to kill him. But then Cisco talked you off that ledge. I've known Cisco for over two years and I've never seen him so…centered…" Barry blinked slowly, as if he hadn't shaken off the surprise yet. "And you. It was like you needed to hear those words. In fact those were the only words that even mattered to you."

I twisted my lips to rebuttal but thought better of it. Fox's life was in the palm of my small hands. With the element of surprise I had over powered the man and it would have been all too easy to squeeze the life out of him. However, Cisco's smooth voice had broken through my rage and threw my own words back at me. Words that I planned to uphold. The speedster remained silent as I picked at the green loose thread of my old sweatpants and gathered my thoughts.

"I admit that I like Cisco. Y'know… the school girl version of a crush where my insides swim every time he grins at me. I wanna laugh at all his stupid jokes, I wanna touch him just to see if the skin is as smooth as looks but it just isnt that easy."

"Why?" Barry asked, leaning his forearms onto his slender legs and sipping his espresso.

"Since I woke up in S.T.A.R. labs I knew that there was some reason I feel as connected to him as I do the very air currents that I can control. A reason that he looks at me like…like he sees a different Kane." I shook my head slowly. "Like he knows something about me that I don't even know. I don't know what that force is and I might even be imagining it. And if I am imagining it then it shouldn't be the driving me."

"Take it from me, Kane." Barry spoke around another bite. "When you honestly feel so much for much for someone…it's best not to wait."

"Tell you what, Daddy-long-legs, I'll think on it." I drawled, taking another sip. "And if you tell Cisco any of that…you'll be fighting me for a third time."

"Bring it on, short-stuff." He laughed, breaking off a piece of the treat to chuck at me. His chuckle extended by my skillful catch. "Oh and sorry for waking you. Wally mentioned that you don't sleep much so I figured that you were awake."

Kid West and I were going to have a talk.

"Wally is talkative." I leaned forward to pluck another biscotti from my wooden coffee table. "But he's not a liar."

At 11:30 the next day I was right where Abe asked me to meet him: in the food court of the Mall. I had taken up residence at a table half hidden from sight by a rather ugly fern and a pillar while I munched on an extra-large order chili cheese fries.

"Hello, Sexy." A gruff voice greeted, approaching from my blind spot.

"I thought I was meeting with Abe." I grunted back at Fox as he slammed himself down into the seat.

"Surprise, Surprise Princess." Fox winked, taking the wrapping paper off of his triple-triple. "Y'know we don't have to do all of this, Kane. You and I could leave right now. Run off to the Maldives and say the hell to all of this hostile takeover bullshit. Could you imagine the look of your brown skin after laying out in the white sand? Me and you could have our happy ending…."

"Evan I doubt you could give me a _happy ending_ ," I finished for him, plucking a very cheesy fry from the pile. "I doubt that you could even get me started."

"Is that a challenge, Princess?"

"This isnt a productive conversation." I reprimanded, taking the time to wipe my hands on a napkin. "What's the job?"

"He's the job." Fox slid a cobalt blue flyer across the table to me. "I figure we'll run it just like that time in Monaco."

The flyer was actually a birthday party invitation to the nightclub that went by the name of Crimson. Scanning the document quickly my eyes paused at the name of the guest of honor…I blinked once, twice, but the bold letters made no move to change. The target's name was Ricky Wolfe…

 _Damn_.

"You want me to kidnap the celebrant?" I schooled my features back into a bored glare.

"Technically, I just want you to seduce him. I'll handle the kidnapping." Fox talked around his mouthful of burger. "What was that about?"

"What?" I asked innocently, making Fox narrow his bright eyes.

"You hesitated when you looked at the flyer. You know the guy?" Fox mumbled, searching my eyes green eyes.

"Despite my extensive experience bartending, the club really isnt my jam." I deflected, trying to blink away whatever he saw.

"Oh you don't just _know_ him." Fox sat up suddenly looking very interested. "I'd say he was an old boyfriend."

"We went a few rounds, that hardly made him a boyfriend." I sat back in my chair and lied smoothly.

"Then this job should be easy for you, Princess." Fox smirked, driving back into his burger.

In the interest of Full disclosure…Fox was right. Rick was an ex-boyfriend and I used the term 'ex' very, very loosely. We never had an actual break-up but my funeral should have served as a clear indication that the relationship was over. The last time I saw Rick was the day of the particle accelerator explosion. He had been studying for his police exam at my apartment but I was much more interested in studying _his_ anatomy.

He wanted to be a cop and his girlfriend had the affinity for 'bending' the rules. Our ten month relationship was an extensive practice in irony.

"His father is the warden of Iron Heights and correct me if I'm wrong but he's a cop." I munched on my fries as a method of keeping my face nonchalant but my nails were digging into my palm. "A birthday party is going to be crawling with police and afterward the kidnapping they will be all over this case."

"That's why we need to get in and out." Fox agreed. "But after really isnt our problem. We just hand him over to Thawne."

"Am I supposed to know who that is?"

"Malcolm Thawne, he's the brains behind the operation." Fox leaned in further, bright eyes twinkling with mirth. "Apparently, Flash murdered his younger brother two years ago. Thawne wants revenge."

"Flash is a superhero. I'm believe murder conflicts with that." I defended. "And speaking of Flash..."

"He isn't going to be a problem." Fox was full on grinning at this point. "after you get done with him."

"You want me to kill him?" I asked, voice rising three octaves. "Kiss my ass."

"Think you cant do it?" Fox questioned, talking as he chewed again.

"Although I make an exception just for you, I'm done with killing." I stood, readying myself to leave. Fox dropped his unfinished burger on the table and stalked in my direction.

"What?"

"You heard me," I growled, looking up into his narrowed eyes. "I said I was done with that."

"Who are you trying to fool?" Fox chuckled humorlessly, forcing me back into the pillar that hid us from veiw. His gloved hand pressing hard against my sternum, holding me there… "I was there for your first kill, the second, the third and fourth. I watched you go from a bratty little princess into a machine. A order taking, target slaying metahuman machine. I saw the fire in your eyes when you snapped them in half. Despite your best efforts, you danced in that chaos. And you think youre just gonna be 'done' because that little chip isnt in your spine anymore?"

"I think that is what the hell I just said."

"You know what I think." Fox bravely stroked a thumb down my sternum. "I think a girl like you will never be done…"

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

In a very deliberate fashion, I was ignoring Fox's words during my trip back to the superfriends. I couldn't let myself dwell on those things if I was really looking to change. As a preventive measure, I redirected my thoughts to the conversation I had with Barry this morning. And very much to my vexation, the speeding hero was right. I did need someone I trusted. When my new life started, I assumed that I would never see Tajsa again, which prompted my move to Hub City upon my release. There was no reason to come back to Central City, nothing here to call home. I had considered taking my talents down to South Beach until the news reached me…the news of the metapocolypsis. My lungs burned as I breathed in the realization that something far more terrible than Abe could have happened to my little sister…while I hid out, still to shaken to come back.

My parents probably turned over in their graves. So, I came back to Central City but not into Tajsa's life.

 _Until now_

This train of thought lead me to the doorway to Cisco's work room. He was tinkering with the Flash suit and hadn't noticed my approach yet. So I crept forward to peer over his shoulder, holding my breath the entire time. Let the record: show that there was a very short list of things that made me nervous. Like actually 'I don't know what to do with my hands' nervous. Spiders, loud unidentifiable noises, cages and generally any confined spaces. Recently, I had added another item to that short list.

 _Cisco Ramon_

In my own defense, I probably was more afraid of asking for his help than the actual man.

"Whatcha doing?" I finally asked over his shoulder.

"Ay dios mio!" he startled, voice wavering in surprise. "Did they teach you how to sneak up on people for were you born like that."

 _Good question._

"I'm pretty sure I was born with it." I answered, pushing my hands back into the jacket pockets. "I'm working on it. Honest."

"Yeah you better be." Catching his breath, Cisco turned in his stool to study me. His onyx eyes took the time to read my face…"What's up?"

"Are you busy tomorrow?" I started, plucking the screwdriver from his hand to twirl it between my own fingers.

"Yes. I mean, no! I mean…" He stuttered, opting to take a breath before continuing. "I just plan on finishing some projects but nothing that concrete."

"In order for Caitlin and Wells to continue working on Tajsa's cure they need me to get her physically here. With her condition, Tajsa isn't all that active and doesn't leave Abe's house much but she does volunteer. She's got a job tomorrow morning…a rescue dog day in the park thing. It would be the best chance to intercept her without our foster-father." I explained in one long huff before finally meeting his eyes. "Do you mind…um. Would you come with me?"

"Me?" Cisco questioned, incredulous as he pointed to himself. "You want me there during your sister-sister moment."

"Barry suggested that this might be…easier…if I took someone I trust for support." I explained, the words flowing much easier than they ever had between us. "I don't know if it's in my nature or a learned behavior but I don't trust many people. I trust you, Cisco."

"Just for clarification..." He pulled teeth pulled on his reddish bottom lip, drawing my eyes. "We totally get to play with the rescue dogs right?...Because I cannot resist a puppy Corgi."

The tinkling laugh that bubbled out of my chest still sounded foreign to me. The tension in my chest released and I my smile only grew in response to Cisco's own smug beam. Acting on my everlasting impulse… I surged forward, stepping into the space between his legs and wrapping my arms around his shoulders. Cisco held himself statue-still for a full two seconds before lifting his own hands to wrap around my waist and settle in the small of my back. Pulling me flush against his chest, a breath passed from me to him as I realized…we fit together well. Like cliché puzzle pieces. How he had never touched me before but knew exactly where to put his hands without instruction? How he had automatically synchronized his breath with my own? I wasn't sure which of us pulled back… just far enough that the green of my eyes was looking into the black abyss of his own.

"Anywhere you want me, Kane…" Cisco's large hands squeezed my waist in comfort. "That's where I'll be."

"Oh." I heard the signature whoooosh of Barry Allen. "You two are…doing a thing. And I'm interrupting"

"Oh this! This isn't a thing or anything like that. Does it look like we are doing a thing because this totally isnt a thing. Like, you aren't…" Cisco started, his voice shooting up a few octaves as he snatched his hands away. "Just a platonic hug between friends."

"Sorry, boss. I was supposed to find you right after the meeting the Team Evil." I patted Cisco's knee but winked at Barry. "I just had other business to tend to."

"Don't let me interrupt."

"No youre right on time." I smoothed my jacket and too a few steps back few Cisco. "I've got a job lined up for Friday night and the name of the guy behind the hostile Take-over."

"Great." Barry shifted his weight, still looking mildly uncomfortable. "Um, we should tell the team. I think everyone…else… is in the Cortex."

"Coolio. Let's go bust some bad guys." His hopped down off the stool, mild blush still visible on his face. I fell in step with him as the three of us walked the sterile hallways. Not being able to resist, I bumped the genius with my shoulder.

"Just as a reminder, we aren't friends, Cisco." I teased, out of the corner of my eye: Barry walked a tad faster to create the illusion of privacy.

"We aren't?" He questioned, dark eyebrows pulling together in confusion.

"I'd rather be your enemy." I let my fingers graze down his sweatshirt covered arm. "That way we can ignore being… 'platonic'."


	10. Friends

A/N: I'm so excited for different reasons. One-chapter ten you guys! This has been so awesome! Thanks for supporting my story! 2- Suicide Squad is out and I'm going to see it tomorrow! As you all can tell, I kind of love it. Let me know how you feel about this chapter!

-Lex

The Superfriends minus Joe had gathered in the Cortex in order to discuss my meeting with Fox. Being a girl that liked her dessert before the vegetables…I disclosed the good news first. At least that had been my intention.

Sometimes…I'm wrong. The name Malcolm Thawne had brought a chorus of gasp, groans, and even a few face-palms. After their initial shock, the team all began rapid fire explaining.

"Okay…so let me see if I got this straight." I drawled, standing in the center of the Cortex once everyone had calmed down. "Thawne is related to the man that murdered Barry's mother and was engaged to Iris."

"No," Iris answered at the same Barry said…

"Yes,"

"Why does this keep happening?" Cisco asked, moving the lollipop to one side of his mouth. " it's like we can never escape the cycle of Eobard Thawne-blackslash-evil Wells. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving!"

"He's not Wells," Dr. Wells insisted with a tired grunt. "I'm Wells."

"I'm still lost!" I reminded the team, taping the dry-erase marker along my thigh.

But I was certain of one thing: the plot just got a lot thicker…

"Ok, from the top." I regrouped, silently upset with myself for not easily connecting the dots. "Eddie murdered your mom."

"No EoBard killed Barry's mom before taking over the body of Dr. Wells in order gain access to train Barry only to betray him by being the Reverse Flash." Caitlin explained in one long confusing huff. "Who showed back up again this year."

"Say 'Reverse Flash' five times fast." I challenged absently while processing the information.

Cisco sent an exasperated glare toward Caitlin before propping himself next to me on the computer desk. Overzealous butterflies beat against my ribcage in the most annoying fashion. My body was always acutely aware of his. His proximity, his scent, his warmth, the subtle vibrations that he released into the air. I inwardly scolded myself for letting Cisco wreak such havoc on my senses.

"Okay EoBard Thawne murdered Barry's mother. Eobard was also the speedster called the Reverse-Flash, one of Barry's nemesis which he defeated because of Eddie Thawne's sacrifice. Eddie, a Central City detective, was engaged to Iris." Cisco broke down the timeline, eyes scanning my own for understanding. "This Malcolm Thawne is Eddie's half-brother."

"Why did Eddie's sacrifice have anything to do with defeating Eobard." I questioned, slightly excited that I was starting to understand.

"Because Eobard was one of Eddie's relatives from the future." Iris supplied, her chocolate eyes unreadable.

"The future?" I checked.

"Yes." The entire team answered.

"The futu…"

"Yes," They answered once again.

 _Well, there goes understanding._ But if the Reverse-Flash was a speedster…that could time-travel…And Barry was a speedster…oh hell.

"Are you telling me that you can time-travel, Hero?" I questioned, hoping for a stab of denial from Barry. However, the speedster just stood there…with the nerve to shrug his shoulders absently. "Oh come on. I thought Time Travel was supposed to be impossible!"

"And just how Impossible are you?" Dr. Wells rasped the question.

 _Touché_

"Perhaps I can serve this team better by leaving the super science stuff to you all." I took the time to lay my gaze on each individual before heading back to the evidence board. "I'll stick to the hitting."

"Speaking of all the hitting that you enjoy." Caitlin tsked with slight disapproval. "Who is the next target?"

"His name is Ricky Wolfe." I breathed, writing his name on the clear surface.

"Ricky Wolfe? Like the police officer Ricky Wolfe?" Barry grumbled, scrubbing a hand down his porcelain face. "His dad is the Warden of Iron Heights."

"Pretty…. Ricky…" I drawled, already writing facts about him on the board. At least there wouldn't be much stalking on his mark.

"Did you know Ricky?" Iris asked, her voice just a tad shaky. "From Before?"

"You could say that I know Ricky." I answered, twisting the marker through my figures as something else to look at as I debated with myself on my full disclosure clause. Somehow the news of my ex-boyfriend paled in comparison to the news of Iris's ex-fiance's brother/ a relative of Barry's nemesis… "And you can certainly say that he knew me."

"You're anxious." Cisco pointed out, easily reading me from across the room. "Whyyyyy are you anxious?"

"So. Ricky is my ex-boyfriend and I'm not completely certain the term Ex really applies because we never officially broke up." I fired back, resting my gaze his Cisco's.

"You mean…?" He attempted but I continued over him.

"I mean that I died first." I sucked a calming breath down. "We hit the ten-month mark the day before the Particle Accelerator explosion."

"Kane, I…" Caitlin began to coo, relating to ending a relationship that night.

"It's fine." I deflected. "Plus we have a bigger problem to deal with. Like the Fact that Fox wants me to kill you, Barry. I told him that wasnt really my thing anymore but experience tells me that Fox'll have a trick up his sleeve."

"Then so will we…" Cisco assured. A slow smile creeping onto his lips. "I have an idea."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

Being the speeding best friend that he was…Barry wasn't very shy about putting in his two cents without a prompt from Cisco. He had acknowledged that Kane's trust in the metahuman wasn't something to gamble…as if Cisco needed a reminder. As if he wasn't already feeling like he got to open a Christmas present early. That being said, Barry felt like Cisco should have a conversation with Kane. In particular, a conversation about their Earth-2 dopplegangers' relationship and the Vibes about her.

Cisco had groaned, knowing that it was a mistake to tell Barry about the vibes.

In the back of his mind, the metahuman knew that the hero was right. Withholding such information from Kane was a huge gamble. Life had granted her a rather dark outlook on…well, everything. Especially on herself. There was a no denying that Kane walked a tight-rope-fine-line on good versus bad. Deep in his bones, Cisco feared that she was one bad day away from going full Darth Kane.

 _Yes_ , Cisco knew that he needed to have that conversation with Kane. But this didn't seem like the time.

At this particular time, Cisco was sitting on a park bench with Kane as they waited for Tajsa. Less than six inches between them as he told her about the partially repaired relationship with Dante. About how he knew exactly how it felt not living up to his parents' expectations. All the while, Kane's doe-ish green eyes bared into his own with rapt attention.

"Your big brother sounds like an ass."

"Oh he is." Cisco agreed. "But he's my brother."

"So which instruments did you take up?" She asked, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"I played the drums for a while." Cisco hummed. "That was until I got into the Spanish Guitar."

"Should have known a guy like you would be good with his hands." Her voice took on that purring quality, a staple of her not to subtle flirting. "I bet you're good."

"I don't like to toot my own horn." Cisco sniffed smugly. "But ya boy…has maddddd skills."

"Well, show me your skills." Kane plucked imaginary lint from his hoodie. "And I'll show you mine."

The genius nearly swallowed his tongue in response.

"That's her," Kane whipped her entire body in the opposite direction. "Tajsa."

Cisco followed the line of her gaze to a gang of teenagers in neon orange vest ushering a bunch of excited dogs out of a van. His eyes easily fell on the McMillian sister that seriously looked so much like Kane. Y'know…except for the actual smile on her face.

"Take it from a little brother." Cisco dropped his voice down to a more private tone. "She'll be happy to see you."

Kane didn't reply, her green eyes still watching her sister with hawk like focus. The final dog unloaded from the van, Tajsa beckoned to an older teenage boy with a cute little smirk that was all too familiar to the young genius. Only a few words and a bat of her long eyelashes before the teenage boy assisted her in climbing onto his back. He carried her to the meeting space of the volunteer team.

"That is sooo my sister." Kane giggled as Tajsa wrapped her arms tighter when the guy pretended to drop her. "And Abe thinks that she hardly notices guys. I knew better."

Kane turned back suddenly, her green eyes flickering and darting…the way they did when she was calculating and processing information.

"Cisco, why do I always have the feeling that _you_ know something I don't." she asked, her eyes searching his own.

"Engineering?"

"No, smartass." Kane clicked with a toss of her curls. "About me. I always feel like you know something about me. It's just…you look at me like…"

"Kane!" a voice shrieked, interrupting the rest of her statement. The pair turned in the direction of the voice…and none other than Tajsa was running toward the park bench. Her curly ponytail whipping from side to side.

Kane rose to her feet just in time to catch her speeding sister. The younger brown-skinned girl slammed into his friend with a certain cry of what Cisco could only identify as relief. The McMillian sisters held each other closely, unwelcoming any air to pass between them.

"I knew it!" Tajsa's voice was muffled by Kane's shoulder but the Kid sister was easily heard. "I just knew it."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

"So you've been somewhere." Tajsa stated, folding her legs Indian style after jumping up to sit on my trunk with me. "Somewhere you aren't proud of."

"Explain to me how you've always been able to do that?" I asked, shifting to sit beside her. "Read me like you do?"

"Experience." My sister shrugged, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "Guilt. You've got the same look on your face did when you snuck out all those times to see Ted."

"Ted was teaching me to fight." I nodded at the fond memory of Ted Grant. "And for the record. I felt guilty because Ted thought I liked him. Not because I snuck out."

"Well despite your best efforts I did pick up some of your old habits." Tajsa nodded toward the teenage boy that was currently struggling with two very excited golden retrievers. He had given her the ride on his back. "Making a guy think that you've got a thing for him."

"Careful Taj," I warned, shaking my head. "I'm no role model."

Tajsa didn't answer immediately: her lips twisted and her green eyes were suddenly interested in the sole of her shoes. My gut twisted at the tell-tale sign of my sister attempting to hold back her tears. Crying was something Tajsa hated with a passion…a trait that she might have picked up from me.

"Let me have it, Kid." I curled my fingers around her high ponytail as she shook her head fiercely. "Say it."

"You were my role model." She whispered so low I couldn't tell if she really meant it for me to hear. As the tears started spilling down her brown cheeks… "You Died, Kane. You died! And I was mad at you Kane! I know none of it was your fault but I was so mad because you promised that you would never leave me. You've always said that you would never leave me because we're sisters. And I know that it's selfish but…"

"Taj I'm sorry. I never wanted any of this happen." I wrapped an arm around her, her frame a tad wider than I remembered. "And you never left me while I was out there. Not even once."

We sat in silence for a few minutes but I could see Tajsa gathering her thoughts. I knew my sister would have questions about my whereabouts and I would answer them…although begrudgingly.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you. Cause I am." Tajsa smiled up to me. "Why are you here?"

"I made some new friends and…"

"Is he one of them?" Tajsa asked, nodding her head in the direction of Cisco. The man in question was literally wrestling with a corgi puppy. "He's like…adorable. I see why you like him."

"I never said I liked him."

"Please," Tajsa snorted. "When I saw you, you were looking at him like he could read a crystal ball."

She wasn't that far off.

"You are distracting me." I scolded. " I made some new friends. They're really amazing people; doctors in fact. They say that there is a cure for…"

"Not this again," Tajsa groaned. "Kane there is no cure for this condition. We've been through this. Plus, things are different now. My pain is more under control than ever."

"Things are different now." I agreed. "These aren't just any doctors. They're from S.T.A.R. Labs…"

"Those wacko scientists that blew up the city two years ago?" Tajsa asked, her voice raising in surprise as she whipped around to face me. "They killed you!"

"Let's get really clear, Taj." I insisted. "I never died, okay. Not once. And even if I had, an accident would have killed me. It wouldn't be their fault."

"Kane, I don't get it." Tajsa jumped down from the trunk. "I've got so many questions."

"And I will answer every single one of them." I promised, rolling my shoulders back. "But until then you need to trust me. Just like you always have."

Tajsa made ready to speak but one of the other volunteers called to her. It was the same olive skinned boy. He was waving his hands over his head, with two golden puppies circling his heels. Giving him a quite sarcastic thumbs up, she turned back to me.

"I need…I need to…" Tajsa halfheartedly nodded towards the dogs she had volunteered to handle.

"I'm already ahead of you." I promised, reaching into the back seat and pulling out a drawstring gym-bag. "I've got a gift for you. Some snacks that I know Abe isn't letting you have and a phone. It's a burner and my number is already programmed into it. I'm free anytime. We'll schedule a time that you can come to S.T.A.R Labs."

"You don't want Abe to know." She uttered, not bothering to question why I was keeping our communication from Abe a secret. Tajsa knew that there wasn't much love between of foster father and I. "What about you? Where are you staying? How are you living, Kane?"

"You know how this goes Taj." I reminded, the words were so familiar on my lips. I felt like I had said them to her over a thousand times. "Don't worry about me. Take care of yourself."

"Just promise me." Tajsa sighed tiredly, offering out her pinky. "Promise me, Kane."

Her mirroring green eyes misted and I nodded inwardly. I knew exactly what she wanted me to promise. It seemed like we had this same conversation out entire lives.

"I promise, Tajsa." I vowed, wrapping my own pinky finger around hers. We leaned in- a practiced, synchronized motion- and kissed our respective thumbs. "Now go."

My sister turned and half-ran back over to the teenage boy. I shook my head as she flashed a smile and the boy picked up a puppy to offer to her. Tajsa had really picked up on a few of my teenage tricks. There had been plenty of times I got us food, entry, gifts and a bunch of other things that I probably wasn't entitled to have.

 _Unfortunatly, that was on my resume._

"I told you that she would be happy to see you." Cisco's tenor voice sounded off smugly behind me.

"I see that you got a chance to play with a puppy corgi." I said on a turn, trapping Cisco between my body and my driver's side door. "Congratulations."

"And I saw you making the unbreakable vow with Tajsa." The genius rocked on his feet. "What did she want?"

"What she always asks for." I looked up, trapping myself in his onyx gaze. "For me to take care of myself."

Cisco blinked, obviously taken aback by my sister's request.

"Well," He cleared his thoat. "We all want that. I want…I want that."

I hadn't even completed the thought of what _I_ wanted before my arms were thrown around his neck. Although the first hug had spontaneous…it was natural. So easy for me to wrap around him, to relax into the embrace. Cisco's warm arms circled tightly around my waist, his well-conditioned hair falling down to tickle my shoulder. I felt so…small. Small in the that a girl without ridiculous metahuman powers and a double-digit body count might have felt. All that being said, it shouldn't have surprised me that I followed the trail of his coffee infused breath…right to his full lips. Cisco's lips tasted just like he looked. Like coffee, like honey, like warmth and sugar. But I couldn't really focus on that.

There was a strong contrast between Cisco's hands and lips. His lips were gentle as the move against my own. Almost overpoweringly soft-coaxing me futher into the flames. Kissing me as if we weren't standing in a parking lot with my baby sister less than thirty yards away. And his hands…his hands were more aggressive: fingers of one hand digging into my waist, the other slowly on the move from the base of my neck to the base of my spine. A shiver passed through me as his fingers skimmed my ARGUS scar.

"Cisco," I breathed, his forehead pressed against my own. I wasn't certain on which of us pulled away. "Still want to be friends?"


	11. Headache

A/N: So thank you Thamy and Stormrunner74…I took both of your comments and this chapter tumbled out. Also, Tag for Bye Felicia's review! I was pretty excited and it made me explore the 'what ifs?' Fun stuff and good practice!

Let me know what you think!-Lex

When I was growing up my mom always told me that a lady would never kiss and tell. Personally, I felt like I only fit the lady bill because y'know…chromosomes. When I thought of a modern lady, I thought of…Well, Iris or Caitlin. I see myself as more of a chick-and this chick was totally ready to spill the tea to Wally over Big Belly Burger.

"So how is this new dynamic with your sister going to work?" Wally asked, already deep into his bacon-triple. "I mean you practically raised her outside of your foster-dad but almost three years without you…"

"Its gonna be an adjustment." I shrugged. "Tajsa didn't have me looking out for her so she had to grow up. I missed some really important time. The whole transition into adolescence and what not. But I don't think it'll be that hard on us."

"Does that mean the news of you being a metahuman was well received?"

"Like you wouldn't believe! She literally screeched when she found out. About my powers…not about ARGUS. She doesn't know about the Task Force yet." I mumbled around a mouthful of chili-cheese fries. "But really-Taj glamourizes the entire thing, like it's a game. She's even part of a Flash fan club at Central Private."

"Ha. Jealous?" He teased, annoying smirk covering his face.

"That my kid sister finally has a solid role model? Hardly." I rolled my eyes. "I'm just happy to have her back."

"Nothing is more important than family, Kane." Wally shook his head, his eyes glossing slightly. "Nothing."

Wally West and I have the strangest of friendships. I wasn't an open book and he wasn't much of a page turner himself…our friendship was largely a test of intuition and context clues. Ordinarily a relationship of that caliber took time, giving both parties time to learn and observe. But our situation was fast-tracked. There really was truth behind the 'takes-one-to-know-one' trope. The guilt from our past choices, the responsibility to our parents, the desire to prove that we were worth the second chance. Wally alerted me that a few of the Superfriends…I could only assume Joe and Iris…were under the impression that we had a thing going. Although Wally was great for my ego, I didn't feel for him in that way. I _understood_ Wally West and in turn he _understood_ me.

"You know what is great about our friendship, Kid." I started, bringing him out of his own thoughts. "It's easy to tell you things."

"What did you do now?" A shapely eyebrow arched in mock-scandal.

"I kissed Cisco yesterday."

"Whoa!" The young man gasped just a tad too surprised. "See, I told him that he should go for it!"

"Excuse me?"

"So Kaneco is a GO right." Wally slurped his drink nonchalantly.

 _The Kid was asking for it…_

"Would you like me to ring your neck or just snap it?"

"To be fair I didn't make it up. Iris and Barry did." Wally mumbled as he finished off his burger.

 _Kaneco…it was kinda cute…_

"Are you done? I've got to meet with Cisco in like ten minutes…"

"What kind of meeting?" He smiled again, although this time with a suggestive tint.

"Is this what it feels like when I'm super suggestive? Because you're aggravating." I chuckled with a roll of my eyes.

"Debatable. I think you're just annoyed because you don't want to feel that blood rush that comes with infatuation."

I was pointedly missing that train of thought in favor to sweep our trash onto the Big Belly Burger tray. The boy snagged the rest of his fries just before I rose from the table.

"Kiss my half Irish-half Haitian ass."

Turning on my heel to head to dump the trash I as a bumped into a man with twice my height and a bad haircut. Admittedly, I was a bit distracted with my swirling feelings to watch out for innocent bystanders.

"Ooph," I grunted. "Excuse me."

"Excuse Me?" The older man almost roared as he shook his spilt soda off of his shirt tail. "Is that all you have to say for yourself?"

"My apologies." I refrained from rolling my eyes at the overreaction and started to push past him. I had taken but a step and a half before his skinny fingers were curling around my bicep.

Seriously? I thought, trying not to break his fingers as I snatched away.

"Listen, Slick." I growled, tilting my head back to look him square in the eyes while putting the trash in the slot. "You really need to calm down."

"Oh, I can see it now…. The anger inside. All bottled up inside of you." He insisted, snatching off his aviator sunglasses. "Why don't we let it out for a little spin?"

A snarky comment was on the very sip of my tongue as the man's brown eyes started to glow around the edges. A bright Red, almost a crimson took over the color of his eyes. I struggled but couldn't look away as my own vision started to turn red in response. White hot pain seared at the base of my skull, Forcing me a few steps back into the counter.

"Kane?" A voice called just as a hand landed on my shoulder. I had instinctively yanked away before I recognized the voice as Wally's. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah Im good. Just a bumped into some jerk." I promised, whipping my head around to find that the man was gone. My shoulders rolled, trying to shake off the sudden feeling of congestion. " And I've got a bit of a headache."

"Well, I'm ready if you are…are you sure you're okay?" Wally checked.

"Yes, I'm fine." I snapped before working to modulate my tone and give Wally a half smile. "Now finish telling me about that girl. Jesse?"

"You would have liked Jesse." Wally assured as he led the way out of the joint. "She's wicked smart y'know. Just…quick…"

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

If anyone asked…Cisco would absolutely deny that he practiced the speech that he wanted to make for an hour in the mirror last night. An hour was probably overkill but he knew that his words needed to come out flawlessly. Like Oliver Queen's vigilante speeches flawless. The entire ordeal would have only of taken a half hour…but Cisco kept getting side tracked.

By Kane, specifically the ghost of her lips on his. The memory appeared to be burned onto his skin. The way she fit in his arms. The way she allowed him to set the pace. The way her slim fingers pulled through his hair. At one-point Cisco thought he was _just_ screwed. The kind of screwed that Ronnie had been for Caitlin. She could have asked Ronnie to jump and the man would have asked 'how high?'. That kind of screwed was acceptable, even expected. Oh no…Cisco was the 'she's gonna be the death of me' screwed. The dead man walking screwed.

"I really hate being summoned." Kane walked down into his work room, making sure shuffled her feet just a bit. "But I'll make an exception for you. Just you"

 _She really was working on a less stealthy approach._

"What's the word, genius?" Kane asked, hopping to sit atop the work bench.

"Kane, I really like you." He started the way he practiced.

"The way you kissed me, I suspected you liked something." She smirked, her eyes sending a 'come hither' message.

"Well kissing you is pretty great. Like really great. Fantastic." Cisco couldn't help the smile that broke his lips. He quickly recovered before allowing her to distract him any further. "But really. I don't think I've ever met a girl like you. I mean you're smart, clever, determined, daring, absolutely beautiful…"

"Don't stop now, you're on a roll." Kane insisted. Green eyes narrowing slightly as she swung her feet. "Now…what's the bad news."

 _Smart as hell, this girl._

"You asked why it seemed like I know more than you." Cisco continued. "I have visions."

"I know that already."

"But you don't know that recently those visions have involved you."

"Go on…" Kane insisted after pulling a breath through gritted teeth.

"A vibe seeing you cause a lot of damage by using your thunderclap, a conversation between you and Fox at the mall. One of you alone in your room and another," Cisco paused, trying to anticipate her reaction. "…with me, alone with you in your room."

Kane jumped gracefully to her feet but did not cross the distance as he expected. For the first time, she was observed his personal space and the change was unnerving. Especially after sharing the same breath less than thirty hours ago. Kane grabbed the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyelids shut as if she was in physical pain.

"Are you okay?"

"What were we doing in my room."

"Kane…"

"Just answer me." She growled, her green eyes popping open.

"You showed me a new tattoo." Cisco relented, forced off-script from his speech by her display for frustration. "You said it was for me. That I was your 'Nine'."

"Did you have that vison…" Her short frame was wound tightly, like a panther gearing to strike. Cisco knew that this wasn't good. "before we kissed?"

"Yes." He gulped out the response.

Kane's gaze slipped off of him and bounced around the workroom…her expression a sharp mixture of anger and disappointment. Knowing that he could cause such a reaction felt like claws mercilessly on his chest. Barry had been right: he shouldn't have played this game.

"While you have the floor…is there anything else?" Kane asked with an eerily calm voice.

"Have you ever heard of the multiverse?"

"That stupid mirror world theory." Kane rocked restlessly on her feet. "What of it?"

"Something like that." Cisco banged his fist together. "There is a place that we discovered last year. We call it Earth-2 and on that earth…you and I…you and I are together. Together-Together. Like…till death do us part together."

During the speech practice: Cisco expected Kane to get angry once that information was revealed. He even imagined the cursing-out of epic proportions that would certainly follow. What the genius did not imagine was Kane smacking the tabletop with the side of her fist. With a loud thud the table buckled and a clattering of his beautiful tech sounded unceremoniously to the tile.

"What the what?" Cisco gasped. "My babies!"

"Was any of that crap true or you just sweet talking me?" Kane screeched as if she hadn't even noticed that she had knocked over a significant amount of tech. Her outburst brought Harry, Caitlin and Barry running into the room. Barry popping in significantly before the other two.

"Kane! Of course it was! I wouldn't…" The young meta began to reason but was sharp cut off.

"Skip the foreplay, Cisco." Kane kicked a platinum pipe out of her way as she stepped closer. "What am I doing here? Am I even an asset to this team? Or am I here so that you all can control me. Like if you can't beat her then make her fall for you! I thought you were different but you aren't. You're just like Abe!"

"Kane, you need to calm down." Harry asserted into the conversation.

"You…" Kane pointed furiously toward the man. Her usually green eyes glowered a fierce red as she turned. "You do not tell me to calm down… you egotistical, self-righteous mad scientist."

"Kane, your eyes…" Caitlin gasped. "Barry…"

Oh, _hell_ , Cisco thought silently.

"What are you talking about?" Kane snapped at the doctor.

"Kane listen, I need you to remain calm. Okay." Barry sent a worried look in Cisco's direction. "I think you've been Whammy'd."

"Youre damn right I've been whammy'd," Kane growled, resting her cherry gaze on Cisco. "You knew about this didn't you Barry? You knew before you offered to help me with Tajsa?"

"Kane, we can talk about all of this. We can tell you everything." Barry took a step forward, seizing the chance as Kane shook her head back and forth as trying to dislodge something. "First, you have to calm down."

"Stop telling me to calm down!"

The team could tell…Kane meant to only push Barry out of her personal space. However, there was too much power behind her shove and the speedster flew back…off his feet…his head connecting with Harry's shoulder. Both men landed on the ground in an ungraceful heap and matching grunts of pain. With a gasp, Cisco rushed to put himself between his friends. He had caused the explosion: her anger should be directed toward him. At his proximity Kane blinked…once, twice…before her irises returned. Quick as ever, Kane retreated, running out of the work room with a hand on her temple.

"This is not good. She must have encountered Prism." Caitlin announced nervously, before turning to Harry. "A metahuman that can control emotions. Particularly anger in our experience."

"Anger doubles the longer you suppress it." Harry summarized. "How long has it been since she was hit."

"I don't know? We were talking and she just…" Cisco gestured to the messy room as he searched or a word. "…exploded."

"What was going on? She was acting like you whammy'd her?" Barry asked in a rush.

"We kissed at park yesterday…"

"You really do have a type." Caitlin cut in but Cisco ignored the teasing.

"I wasn't expecting it but I knew that I needed to be honest with her." He explained. "I told Kane about my vibes and Earth-2."

"Damn it, Ramon we have been through this!" Harry bellowed. "Your Earth-2 counterpart's life is not your life! Wind-chime's life is not This Kane's life. Just like when knowledge of Barry's time travel influences our choices…knowledge of her doppelgänger is going to negatively impact Kane. Especially if she finds out her counterpart's occupation. It was unfair to tell her just in order to clear your conscience."

"oh I'm sorry…" Cisco drawled sarcastically. "What was I supposed to do, huh? I'm just supposed to date her knowing that and never mention it. That's unfair too Harry!"

"Wait, are you guys dating now." Barry grabbed Cisco, slightly distracted from the problem at hand.

"Barry! We need to find her and get this out of her system." The doctor came between the two boys. "Kane can absorb and store an inhuman amounts of energy. Her episode with the induced anger…the explosion is going to be bigger than yours."

"What is going on with Kane?" Joe asked as he walked into the work room with Wally right on his heels. "She just sprinted past us."

"Better question is what happened here?" Wally asked.

"Kane happened here." Cisco answered. "Wally weren't you just with her? Was she acting…irritable?"

"You mean like more than normal?" he joked. "There was this moment that she ran into some man. They exchanged some words and that was it. But after that she was…upset, on edge. Why?"

"We think Prism whammy'd her." Barry explained.

"That meta who controls anger?" The young West all but slapped his self in the face. "Why didn't anybody go after her?"

"Kane just threw Barry across the room!" Caitlin supplied. "Cisco tell me you finished your improvements to our color weapon from last time?"

"Damn straight." Cisco promised. "I even made a hand held version for The Flash to use on his own."

"Kane is a smart girl, good person, loyal but…You know there is one question we haven't asked about Kane." Joe announced to the group. "John Diggle said that he worked with this Task Force X. That it was a team of Villains?"

"Yeah," Barry replied. "The worst of the worst."

"Then what did Kane do to get on that list?" Joe enquired to the entire team.

Once again, the team shared a collective look of _damn._

"I think we're about to find out." Harry spoke the groups thought aloud.

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

There were too many thoughts in my head to process. Too much to feel at once. The only thing I was sure of…I was livid. The kind of anger I had never felt. Not when Abe used to smack me around and berate me. Not when I was getting the living daylights beat out of me at Waller's command. It was boiling, it was hateful and dark, it was…it couldn't have all be caused by Cisco, right? I mean, unfortunately, people lying to me was kind of par for the course. Sort of a standard. Plus, the-very small, almost microscopic- understanding part of me had not heard him out. So I shouldn't have been this angry…right?

Wrong. Something was wrong.

"What's happening to you, Kane?" I asked aloud.

The answer came with a loud crash and falling shards of glass. My windshield to be specific. Instinct made me slam hard on my brand new brakes just as a turning car collided with my back end. Taking from my ARGUS training, I was able to pop open the door and roll onto the unforgiving pavement…just as my beautiful baby smashed into the back of a nearby delivery truck.

"What kind of fresh hell!?" I exclaimed, just as I put my hand out…stopping a fourth car that was about to join our accident.

Only then did I notice the screams of random citizens and the trembling pavement under my feet. The street shook again, this time causing me to stumble over my own feet as I headed in the direction that everyone seemed to be running away from. All the ruckus seemed to be coming from the park just ahead. My feet picked up speed as the Earth shook for the third time and a ball of what looked to be gravel flew right by my head. Another followed as I closed the distance. Automatically, I crossed my arms in front of me in an 'x'. The boulder broke on contact, confirming my gravel theory.

"Bring him out!" The man dressed up as an over-armored G.I JOE bellowed in the center of the damage. "I want to see him. I want to see if he could stand up to me!"

In the back of my mind, I heard my dad's voice: reminding me not to go looking for a fight. With another flash of searing pain, I shook the memory away. My dad. My dad wasn't here. He would never be here. Even if he was…he wouldn't understand. They couldn't understand.

Flipping my oversized hood up…

"Yo, Earth-bender!" I cried, jumping over a few tremor lines. "Mind looking for your friend a tad quieter? I've got a serious headache."

a/n2: Does this qualify as a cliffhanger?


	12. Busy

A/N: Hey everybody I'm so sorry it has taken me forever to post this. There is a laundry list of real life reasons but instead of that I wrote an intense chapter that I hope you all enjoy! Oh and the second passage was inspired by the song 'Never be like you' by flume. Check it out if you have the chance. Side note: I'll be replying to messages soon! I just had to get this out!

-Lex

To say I was kicking his ass would have been a most-serious understatement. From the moment I stepped into his space We had exchanged blows. His brute force almost as overpowering as my skill. He had slammed both fist into the concrete but I dodged the fault line, kicking and breaking his elbow before grabbing the back of his head and scrubbing his face along the gravel. I had just flipped the Earth splitting meta over my head and was preparing an inhuman strike for his nose when the quality of the air changed. No longer a steady, humid current but a crisp, electric one. My world was reduced to nothing but colors and roughened wind as tumbled through the park…only stopping when my ribs slapped against the bark of a tree.

I heard the snap of bone before I felt it. But, boy did I feel it.

"Flash," I groaned, sucking too much air. "Son of a…"

"Kane this has got to stop." Flash stated, earning my full attention as he approached. "I just want to talk."

"Oh now you wanna _talk_?" I asked, swirling the smoke in my hands as I got to my feet.

"I don't want to fight you." He promised in a low voice. "This all is just a big mistake."

"You cant fool me twice." I snarled. The sound of my voice almost unrecognizable to my own ears.

Flash started to speak again but was cut off by the smoke I blasted into his face. Launching off of my feet, I jumped right into the smoke screen and used the distraction to swipe my bloody knuckles across his temple. As the hero started to crumble from the impact I sent a full force knee into his rib cage…feeling the bone crack and give way. I barely heard Flash's howl of pain as I swept his long legs away, pulsing electricity through my hands as I attempted to slam him into the concrete.

But Flash was quicker than I could hope to be. Using my own momentum against me, the superhero rolled out of the impact and flipped me over his head in the process. I bounced against the ground a few times before digging my fingers into the dirt in order to stop myself. Adrenaline pounded through my veins and I hardly registered the taste of blood my freshly split lip. The metallic tang was spurring me on, making my fury feel freshly boiled. Flash was running toward me and I rotated my hands in two different circles, using his own current to make a tight wind tunnel. I had only done the trick a few times but I knew that should the tunnel be tight enough I would suffocate the scarlet speedster.

I smiled inwardly as the agony at the hero as he grabbed his chest and gasped for air. But then I blinked and he had raced out of the trap.

 _Dammit he was_ _ **fast**_ _._

"We arent done!" I bellowed after a few seconds passed. I had lost his location, feeling nothing but the natural air current. "I should have never trusted you or your team! All you wanted to do was use me! To make sure I was on your side!"

"That's not true, Kane." Flash answered, his voice carried on the air and bounced around the open space. As if there were multiples of him. "We wouldn't do that!"

"You would! Because you cant beat me!" I taunted. "Youre just like the others! Like Waller and Abe!"

He moved, whipping over to the right of head. I blasted the area with smoke…had I not been so quick to spaz…I would have seen the distraction that it was. I would have been able to block the quick succession of punches that led up to Flash rocketing me backwards into the brick wall of the park's restrooms. The impact pain rippled up my spine and settled at the base of my skull as Flash's gloved hand pressed against my collar bone in an attempt to hold me still.

"All of this isn't about beating you or manipulating you." He assured, holding me fast to the wall.

There was blood smeared across his cheeks, a large bruise forming on the side of his face and even a small rip in his mask. Looking into his equally green eyes the red at the edges of my vision appeared to dissipate and I had a slight moment of clarity.

Flash wasn't an enemy. He wasn't even a rival. He was Barry Allen…my friend, Barry Allen. I sucked in some more air trying to shake the pressure of a murderous haze that was trying to consume me.

Then once again…I heard the impact of the smack before I actually felt it. Another huge boulder of gravel zipped through the air, forcing the two of us away from the brick wall and skidding along the pavement. The white hot pain seared behind my eyes and made my vison crimson red as I laid eyes on the meta that I was originally fighting.

"Take a hint. You are child's play!" I screeched, sending a current to slam him into a set of trash cans. "The adults are talking right now."

I vaguely registered the meta shouting in retaliation as the small amount of control I had snapped. My body moved of its own accord. The raw strength emerging from my core, rippling through my arms and crackling my palms like live electricity. The very tiny voice in my mind pleaded with me to stop as I saw the wind rip roughly through the tree tops. It scraped against the jungle gyms and swing sets which created a deafening creaking sound that was very much like a scream.

"Kane, No! Don't!" begged Flash. Horror in his voice matching the tiny unidentified voice of reason in my head.

I was too far gone. Reason was completely out of my hands.

What circled in my hands could only be identified as Wrath. Smacking my palms together the Wrath manifested as the sharp clap of thunder. I could see the pure energy rippling as it traveled from my fingertips along the air. Flash was on his feet, moving like lightening ahead of the sound just in time to scoop up the other metahuman and rush away before the brick of the short building crumbled on impact, taking a few side trees along with it. A cold chill ran over my body before I was forced onto my back…red, yellow, white and blue lights flashed across my vison. Sending the murderous pressure in my skull away just as quickly as it came.

If I thought I had a headache before…

…

... _shit_

"Oh God no!" I gasped, scrambling to my feet and running over the site of the damage I had just caused. Flash was already there…on his knees, boyish expression pulled tightly across his features. My own feet skidded to a stop right as he reached down into the debris.

The bottom of the tiny sneakers was blue, their short limbs tainted cherry from the dust of smashed brick.

"No." I felt my legs give out, knees hitting the unyielding pavement. My eyes shut tight, blocking out the scene. "Not again."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDDCDDC

"Are you okay?" Caitlin asked, snapping him out of the trance.

"Yeah," Cisco shrugged, hopping down from his new work table to find something for his hands to tinker with. "Yeah I'm good. Just working out a few calculations in my head is all."

"You sure Cisco? Because you haven't been yourself in a solid week." Caitlin insisted, only receiving an eye roll as a response. " I know she meant something special to you…

Yes, it had been a week since he entire "Kane being Whammy'd and trying to end Geomancer and Barry only to kill a kid and level most of a park in the process" ordeal. The media had taken to calling her 'Mother Nature', a terrible name if you asked the genius… Right now, Kane was nowhere to be found. Barry had searched the entire city. Cisco had even tried to Vibe her but all to no avail. He knew that he should leave her alone…but surly there was no harm in making sure that she hadn't go over to the Dark Side.

"How can you know what she meant to me when I don't even know?" He groaned at his best friend.

"Because," Caitlin pushed, just like he knew that she would. "You look at her in the same way that Ronnie used to look at me when he thought I wasn't looking."

"Cait," Cisco breathed, catching his head against his palms. He was tired, have no truly slept since…

"We're just concerned, Cisco. I'm concerned. I know it's hard having not seen Kane after such a tragedy especially if you are partly blaming yourself because I know how your mind works. You always blame yourself for things that are out of your control and…"

Cisco loved Caitlin but sometimes he hated when she was right. The most rational part of him knew that none of this would have happened if Kane hadn't had a run in with Prism. Yet, whoever controlled the universe had to get a kick out of his grief. How was he unlucky enough to reveal everything to her on that exact day? To be the one that caused the explosion? And that she would storm off and get into a Battle Royal with Geomancer? And that an innocent child would be killed in the aftermath? Wasn't that blood on his hands as well?

Although, that was nothing close to the amount of blood on her hands. Kane hadn't speciiced the number to him but he heard he say it was in the double digits. Double digits of lives she had taken. She was a killing machine…

But Seriously, what were the odds of all that taking place on the same day? Cisco could calculate those odds…if Caitlin would stop ranting.

"I have seen her Caitlin." Cisco interrupted before she could really take off. "I've seen her and I haven't slept since."

Caitlin didn't speak, just pulled a stool along the floor and perched atop…ready to listen.

***Flashback-night after the incident.

Cisco had been sitting in his arm chair for the better part of an hour. A DVD of a stand-up comedian played through his entertainment system but it was truly only background noise to his thoughts. Today was…a lot to process and had effectively made zero progress.

A sharp knock on his door forced him to check his watch. It was past midnight, so he had been sitting in the chair for the better part of two hours. The Comedian was still telling jokes, the tape on a loop. Shuffling to his door, Cisco yanked it back…he knew only one person who was bold enough to knock on his door at this time. Kane had disappeared in a literal puff of smoke after Barry found the kid in the rumble.

There she stood…looking small and vulnerable. Her usual black jacket and jeans replaced with leggings that appeared to have constellations as a design and a dark green CCU sweatshirt. She peaked up at him through her curls with her grassy eyes rimmed in red instead of white.

She had been crying.

"Hey," she greeted. Her low voice raw in her throat.

"Hey back."

Kane blinked at him, seeming to be at a loss for words.

"I'm…I'm sorry." She shook her head, curls quivering. "I shouldn't have come here."

Kane was already turning away and on instinct, Cisco's hand shot out and caught hers. She allowed herself to be pulled back to the doorway as Cisco's tightening grip. Another door cracked…His super nosey neighbor, Mrs. Arnold peering out. Kane whipped her head around, sending a glare into the general direction.

"But you did. You came here."

"It was a mistake." She pulled away from his grasp. "Everything has been a mistake today."

"Don't leave." He implored her, forming the words without any actual brain activity. He was actually sure he wanted her there. There was so much he need to think through that he couldn't with her there. Dutifully, he led her in with a palm on her lower back. Cisco made sure to send Mrs. Arnold another glare before shutting the door.

"Do you ah…want some water or something." Cisco offered as she roamed around his living room, moving silently like she always did.

"Did I wake you?" She asked, not taking her eyes off of his impressive move selection.

"Why did you come find me?"

"I shouldn't have said those things, that you were like my Foster Father. You aren't, none of you." She reasoned. "It was a deal. On terms that I set. It was wrong to accuse you of using me when I hadn't even heard you out. I wasn't…"

"You were whammy'd Kane."

"Yeah. Allowing myself to be controlled and turned into a weapon." She chewed on her bottom lip. "That seems to be my thing y'know. Waller first and now this. I shouldn't even be upset. It's all just Karma."

"What does that mean?" Cisco challenged.

"I accused you of being like Abe when it's me that learned from him." Kane dropped her gaze letting it float around the room. "I've always been manipulative. Before the task force…before I was a metahuman. I would use people for personal gain. Friends, boyfriends, classmates, coworkers. Anybody that I could charm or slick talk into anything. It's only right that I get payback for all of that. For all the people that I've fucked over. For all the guys that I made love me for nothing."

"Like Ricky Wolfe?" Cisco pushed, having known that there was a story.

"Rick loved me from the very first second he laid eyes on me. But he's that type of guy. The one that looks for someone to lay down his life for…that's why he is a cop." Kane shrugged. " I wanted to love Ricky. I really did. He was good to me, understanding, patient…kinda like you."

"How are we different?" The genius asked not sure if he wanted to hear the answer. "Other than the fact that I was lying to you by omitting some really important information."

"Everybody lies to me, Cisco." Kane assured. "The difference between you as that…even while wondering if what you feel for me is because of Earth-2…I feel a lot for you that I couldn't force myself to him."

"Kane. If we were to be together I would never lie to you again." Cisco had to stop himself from walking over to her. He had to stand is ground on this point. "And I know you made a mistake today but…I would have to know that you would never kill again. Ever. That's gonna be a major deal breaker for me."

"Phillip. Phillip King." Kane turned, resting her bloodshot eyes on him. "He was six. Just started reading, wanted to be a professional life guard when he grew up."

Cisco started to ask just how Kane knew all of that but thought better of it. Her stalk game was out of control.

"His parents told the news that they lost him when all the fighting started."

"He must have been hiding in the bathroom. Thinking he was safe from the Big Bad Wolfe between the bricks." Kane deadpanned, folding her arms tightly around her body. "I'm here because I cant think straight Cisco. I'm feeling everything and nothing all at the same time. As if its my first kill. Like I'm a live wire but…numb…all at the same time. It's not your job to fix any of that and I wouldn't ask you to. But…"

"What?" He breathed into the space between him, moving to sink into his couch.

"Does it make sense if I say I'm here because I'm only human?"

But neither of them where only human. They were Metas…currently feeling like they had bitten off more than they could chew.

"I think I finally figured out why you look at me in the way you do. It's because you know exactly what I'm **not**. A good person. A kind person. A person certain of who they are and who they want to be. A person that you wouldn't look for if they disappeared because they took all their baggage with them." Kane shook her head, laughing without humor. "I'll never be like you, Cisco."

"Is that what you're readying on my face? Because that's not what I'm thinking."

"Then what are you thinking when you look at me."

"Right now I'm thinking that you need a hug." Once again the answer came out too fast and much too strong.

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Kane supposed tiredly, coming to stand in front of him. Cisco had never seen her so worn out. Gone was her flirty demeanor quick words. "Having you wrap your arms around me and absolve me of all my sins?"

A silence passed between them because Cisco didn't answer. Both having so much to say without the slightest clue how to say it. Instead, Cisco reached out to grab her hand. Kane intertwined their fingers together, looking their hands with panic. It was small and hidden well under her grief. He pulled on her fingers once but she didn't budge. Frozen in place by his onyx gaze. He pulled again and Kane got the message: closing the distance, falling into him, her knees on either side of his hips.

 _What in the hell are you doing_? He asked himself.

He didn't have an answer all he knew was that the sight in front of him was physically hurting his spirit. Her miserable eyes, her tired voice, the tear stained cheeks, the free hand coiled into a first. It was so much for the young genius. He wanted to take that fear and uncertainty away the only way he knew how.

 _There was probably another way._ He was 85% sure.

But it was too late for alternatives because he jumped into the rabbit hole face first. Securing Kane's lips to his. They became a mess of traveling hands, sighs of contentment, and intertwined lips as the same breath passed back and forth between them. Kane wasn't as aggressive of a kisser as he had once supposed…but boy was she good at it. Kane tasted like strawberries. Her lips were soft and she alternated arbitrarily between teeth and tongue. Her fingers easily pulling through his messy hair, surprising him whenever she ranked her nails down his neck.

Cisco was 100% sure his brain was no longer in control as he twisted to the side, laying Kane along his couch without breaking the kiss. The woman moaned into his mouth…a form of encouragement. Cisco started a trail of kisses down to her neck, searching for the pulse point and was granted a sharp intake of breath when he found it. Kane pulled up the sleeve of his t-shirt to nip the skin at his shoulder, mixing the pleasure with the pain.

Beginning the tactile man that he was, Cisco needed to get hands on her skin. The sweatshirt was in the way. Pushing the garment up, He could stroke along her sides and the soft skin of her tummy. The muscles pulled tightly there, quivering under his hands. Cisco stopped sucking along her neck and traveled downwards to kiss along her tummy where the skin was marred with Tattoos.

"Wait," Kane said, her voice in direct opposition to her words. "Stop."

Cisco obeyed, sitting back on his haunches and pulling her top back into place. Something that Cisco could only define as lust clouded Kane's green eyes as she set up and pushed herself off of the couch.

"This was another mistake." She announced, already heading to the door. Cisco was right on her heels, shutting down her exit as soon as she got the door open. Kane didn't turn back to look at him, eyes on the palm that had shut the door.

"Did I do something wrong?" Cisco asked.

"No." She turned, her heated eyes locked onto his. "But neither one of us is thinking clearly. I can tell there is some things you wanna say. And I ignore that just to…"

Her gaze dropped down to his lips…which he purposefully licked at the exact moment.

"…then I'll be using you too."

She didn't give him time to respond. Opening his door and earing out of the apartment and down the hall.

*-end of Flashback

She had allowed him to see beneath it all. Beneath her beauty, the easy smile, the flirty charm. He saw right into the depths of her personality…the depths that she tried so hard to hide. Cisco wasn't sure if he really liked what he saw but the genius was certain of one thing.

 _He needed to see her again._

"Kane was right you know." Caitlin said once the story was done. "You both deserve each other at your best. Not when your scrambling for explanations and answers."

"Yeah I know that. I just wish I could get a set Vibe on her." Cisco sighed. "Just to know where she is…"

"Kane is in Star City!" Barry zipped around the corner, holding his phone up like it was evidence. "You won't believe the file that Felicity just sent me. Apparently, Kane has been very busy."


	13. Work to do

A/n: _And a wild update appears! There is not an excuse for how long I have been sitting on a good portion of this chapter. Hope everyone is enjoying the new season! I sure am! I'll be replying to messages really soon…I just had to crank this out._

 _If you guys have any "relationship goals" prompts that I could work on with my Earth-2 Story…send them this way!- Lex_

There was a saying about the possibility of tension becoming so tangible that you could cut it with a knife. Currently, Cisco couldn't think of a more appropriate way to describe the mood in the cortex as Barry brought up the file that Felicity sent. Honestly the genius wasn't sure a busy Kane was the best version of Kane. And certainly not if her endeavors had caught the attention of the Team Arrow.

"So there had been reports in Star City about a woman in the Glades that had been tearing her way through a couple of low level thugs and street gangs." Barry started to explain. "Naturally Oliver went to check it out…"

From the video point of view, the footage had been shot from Oliver's body cam. The vigilante was perched atop of a fire escape as he spied on the back ally meeting. In the dim light below stood a very disgruntled Kane along with a clean cut gentleman that had to be at least twice her size. Cisco drew in a deep breath but it did nothing to calm his already fried nerves. The Kane in this video was NOT the girl at his apartment a week ago. The hard set of her jaw, the glint of rage in her eyes, the visible tension in her small frame. If Cisco had to imagine the Earth-2 Kane…

"What were you expecting?" The man grunted. "You were supposed to be dead."

"You knew I wasn't dead. You asshole." Kane hissed back.

"Eh," The man barely lifted his broad shoulders in a shrug. "For all intents and purposes…"

Kane's narrowed eyes were the only warning before her small hand wrapped around the man's throat. He sputtered and struggled until the meta slammed him back into the brick wall. The video changed suddenly-Oliver had moved in preparation to leap into the fight.

"Matt, I am not a problem you want right now." She deadpanned the warning.

"Alright, Alright!" Matt agreed, waiting until Kane took a step backwards to speak again. "You want that money? You've gotta take it from Mommy dearest."

"What?" Kane spat. "That money was mine! It had no ties to the damn Bertinelli family."

"Hey after Helena killed my uncle, mother took over the family business." Matt shurrged. "Seized all the accounts. What did you want me to do?"

"Has anyone ever told you that your entire family is one big Mobbish Melodrama?" Kane smoothed her black leather jacket and picked at the hoodie underneath. "Fine. I'll talk to mother."

"Yeah, Good luck with that!" Matt coughed a laugh.

"I prefer to raise hell." Kane corrected as she spun on her heels. "It works better for me than luck."

The video went black as Barry exited out of the file and turned to his two partners.

"Apparently that was a few days ago and since then Kane has been doing exactly what she promised. Raising Hell for the Bertinelli family. Felicity just identified her and sent me an email to ask if I 'lost' something." Barry shook his head in amusement.

"Did Oliver go after her?" Cisco asked, uncertain who he would bet on in that fight.

"Yeah he did." Barry answered the obvious. "Unlike me, she didn't end up with two holes in her back. Kane caught the arrows in the air and launched them right back before disappearing."

"So for the past week… she has been terrorizing one of the Biggest Crime families." Caitlin summarized as she moved to take the seat beside Barry. "Why?"

"Because they stole something from Kane." Cisco pointed out, gesturing to the still from the video. "There isn't any honor among thieves."

"My sister isn't a thief. You know that!" A feminine voice declared from behind them.

The three members of Team Flash startled and whirled around to the source of the voice. There stood none other than Tajsa. The younger McMillian sister was planted almost defiantly in the cortex doorway. Her red and black prep school uniform perfectly pressed and in regulation…well almost in regulation. Cisco was sure that the mismatched knee socks were outside of school policy.

"Dear God!" Cisco grabbed his chest in shock. "Are the ninja feet like a family trait or something?"

"Where is my sister?" Tajsa asked the three.

"How did you get in here?" Barry asked, moving to stand in front of the computer monitor with Kane's image.

"The door was unlocked." The young girl answered as she twisted the straps on her satchel. Showing the team that her intense demeanor was the result of anxiety rather than defiance. "I know Kane kil…killed that boy but…she wouldn't just disappear. Not again."

"Tajsa." Caitlin called in a soothing voice. "I think it's best if you…"

"She told me about you. About all of you." Tajsa took a step back and out of Caitlin's reach. "Caitlin. Barry. Cisco."

"What did she tell you?" Cisco questioned. Despite Kane's sentiment of "full disclourse", he doubted she would share the team's secret.

"For starters Kane told me that I could find you all here at S.T.A.R Labs. She says that you're scientist and you help the city. And that sometimes you help metahumans." The younger McMillian took a calming breath before finishing her statement. "Kane said that you were her friends and that she trusted all of you. My sister does not have a lot of friends and she damn-sure doesn't trust people."

"Are you old enough to use cuss words?" Cisco checked.

"We are her friends." Barry assured Tajsa. "And as her friend I highly doubt that she would want you involved with any of this."

"You're Barry." The girl stated, pulling the strap of her bag over her unruly black curls to rest on the computer desk. Cisco almost laughed at the 'Flash' button on the side of the sactchel. "Kane says that you lost your mom around the same time that we lost our parents. So I know you get me when I say that Kane is all I've got…and I just got her back. I can't lose her again...Please."

Tajsa's short appeal shook Cisco more than he could have foreseen. Her pleading voice held nothing but raw emotion and concern for her sister. It was…too much. It reminded him of the unshed tears in Kane voice at his apartment just a week ago.

Just as he did then…the genius broke.

"Kane is fine. She's in Star City." Cisco revealed, ignoring the side-eyes of disapproval from his teammates.

"She hates that place." Tajsa breathed, the relief that her sister wasn't harmed washing over her.

"Would the Bertinelli Crime family have anything to that?" Barry questioned, moving to the side and letting Tajsa see the still of Kane meeting with a man in a dark alley.

"Yeah," Tajsa blinked slowly, the concern returning to her green eyes doubly as she drew closer to the moniter. Her eyes darted back and forth between Kane and the man as she thought. "I think..."

"You think?" Caitlin prompted. "You think she hates STAR City."

"I know she hates STAR City, but I think this is Matt Bertenelli." Tajsa squinted at the frame. "My foster brother."

The confusion that passed over the team replaced the tension from just minutes ago.

"Just hold your horses." Cisco instructed. "I thought you and Kane were Abe's only family."

"We are but only right now. We've had three foster moms and one of them had a son." Tajsa pointed to the man on the screen. "Up until like five years ago Abe was married to Matt's mom, Michelle Bertinelli."

"Were Kane and Michelle close?" Caitlin asked the girl.

"Kane isn't close to anybody, 'cept for me." Tajsa answered with a sad shrug. "Her and Michelle mostly ignored each other. Michelle laughed one time when Abe slapped Kane with the little leather journal he carries around."

"Tajsa…" Barry started but his sympathy was cut off by the young girls suddenly sharp voice.

"Matt is only three years older than Kane and he got her into a lot of trouble. He started that bar fight that she was arrested for. Kane never really liked him…per se…more like they had an understanding."

"Of what?" Cisco questioned, leaning into the silver railing.

"There isn't honor among thieves." Tajsa had suddenly become very interested in the metal ring around her finger. "But there is amongst abused kids."

"If youre right and Kane isn't going to stop..." Caitlin took a few measured steps toward the young girl.

"Then we should get to her before the Green Arrow does." Barry finished, jumping on the train of thought.

"Stop Kane? How?" She asked. "Or the Green Arrow?"

"We know a guy." Cisco answered, pulling a lollipop from his pocket.

It was a grape kind of day.

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

It could just be me but…there was something different in the air of Star City. Something heavy and sinister. Something that made you think self-destructive and borderline evil thoughts.

Or maybe it was just me.

The rain had always put me in a foul mood and even more so as a meta. Wind currents got weird during storms and the added humidity made me feel like I was wading through peanut butter. I totally understood why people like to just sleep in and avoid stormy Saturdays.

Sleep…An elusive concept at best had been nearly inconceivable at worst.

I had a room in a rather seedy 'hotel' in the deepest part of downtown STAR City. After purchasing my own bedding, I attempted to find sleep but couldn't. I would drift right into my fight against the Flash. Against Barry Allen. It was like I was viewing it from a third party point. I could see the pure rage in my eyes and knew that the inevitable destruction was on its way. I would yell at myself to stop and listen to all the tiny voices of reason in my head. I would demand that Flash do whatever he had to do to stop me. To save that little boy from the big bad wolf…to save me from myself.

I would wake up screaming…in a pool of sweat.

Then I would drift back…only to see Cisco. After…the park…I couldn't think of another place I could go. Nothing made sense. Everything felt wrong. I became a prisoner in my own skin…The blood on my hands a bright crimson to add to the already caked on red that never seemed to wash off. Cisco hadn't seemed disappointed, like I expected. Concern colored his onyx eyes as he pulled me into his apartment. Something that I was afraid to label taking the place of concern as Cisco pulled me down into his lap. It had taken every ounce of will and respect I had for him to walk away from that couch.

And now I was being punished for it.

When I would start to all into the abyss of sleep…I could feel the pressure of Cisco's lips against mine. His clean scent in my nose. The demand of his long fingers against my oversensitive skin. I would awake with a start to have his voice whispering like a ghost in my ears.

Cisco Ramon was haunting me. I could only wonder if I was haunting him too.

I pretty much gave up on sleep after that. Opting instead to track my ex-foster mom and the money she had stolen from me. Nearly a quarter of a million dollars…

So, Full disclosure. The statement that Tajsa and I went with Abe because we didn't have other family wasn't true. My mother's side of the family lived in Haiti and were deemed unfit to take us in. My father's family…was rich, for lack of better words. He grew up in a big house with live-in staff and fancy furniture that he couldn't sit on. However, his father (Dad never wanted me to call the man my grandfather) wasn't too happy with having a Haitian daughter-in-law. Dad never talked to him again but was still in the old racist's will. Through some law-trickery that Abe used the inheritance was trickled down to me and my sister. I sat aside a good chunk of money…just in case Tajsa wanted to go to college…and told Abe that I lost the rest during a weekend in Vegas with my friends.

I actually opened an account in STAR City and saved the money for a rainy day. Unable to help it, I looked at the irony around me.

Right now, it was pouring. Figuratively and literally.

Looking at my watch, I decided that it was ShowTime. I had gotten word that Michelle was attending some snazzy gala that she planned to leave early. I figured ambushing her private car on a night when her defenses were down would be my best bet. Shock value and all of that. So pulling on the helmet, I hopped on the Ducati I had stolen.

 _Borrowed_ , I corrected mentally. I intended to put it back wear I found it.

The engine snarled as a revved through the busy city streets. Cutting corners and blowing red lights just for the hell of it. Riding motorcycles had been a thrill for me during college but now…I understood why Barry loved the speed. The quick change of the air, the static that tugged at my being as a zipped through. It was refreshing.

In short, I was enjoying my ride. Up until three masked people blocked my path just as a passed the STAR City docks. _Damn Vigilantes_.

"I've heard about you guys." I announced, sliding off the bike. "You're Robin Hood's Band of Merry Men, right?"

"Oh look." The one in the hockey mask chuckled. "A meta with a sense-of-humor."

"She wont think it's so funny when we kick your ass." The woman with a high ponytail threatened.

"We're here to take you in." A man with pain obsecuring his face announced.

"Kinda busy tonight, handsome." I scooted into a fighting stance, letting the smoke swirl my hands. "And you three are making me late."

Hockey Mask was the first to buck. Dashing across the few yards, he was less than two feet away when an arrow landed on the pavement between us. I hardly had time to register the projectile before it exploded with a blindingly white light. The shock from the sharp burst caused me to stagger back a few feet…snatching off my helmet to rub furiously at my eyes.

"Hey! Was that necessary?" I asked, blinking away the stars in my vision.

"I told you not to engage." Green Arrow growled at the other vigilantes before turning to me. "Kane McMillian, you…"

"Why do you know my name?" I asked, throwing my hands in the air.

"Because," The smirk on his face could have been mistaken for amusement. "We have mutual friends."

"I don't have friends in this city..."

I felt the air current electrify before I even finished the sentence. The tails of my jacket whipped up as a zip of color blurred across the road.

"Technically, I'm from out of town but we're still friends." Flash chuckled as he skidded to a stop beside the archer.

"I've got questions!" Face Paint bellowed. "The first one being: Was I supposed to know that we knew the Flash?!"

"Ive got a better one. Make that two." I scoffed as I flipped my curls out of my face. "One: What are you doing here? Two: Is there a superhero meeting or something where you all exchange information? Like a league of do-gooder's that are hellbent on protecting their city?"

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

So…

Barry was friends with the Green Arrow. Green Arrow happened to be Oliver- _freaking_ -Queen. Mayor-Oliver- _Freaking_ -Queen that teenage me had a serious crush on. I mean…would you just look at him? Oliver Queen was friends with Agent Mrs. Diggle and Agent Mr. Diggle that I had the pleasure of working beside while I was on Task Force X. The Arrowcave was everything that a masked Vigilante could dream of. To top it all off Barry had brought Cisco- _freaking_ -Ramon to STAR city with him. Cisco…that was sitting less than a whisper away from me. Cisco…that was making a sport out of not looking me in the eye.

It was…just…a lot to handle right now.

"I'm Sorry, Girl Wonder." I interrupted the blonde lady's hacker ramble. "I'm running on three hours of sleep as a max. Can we go through all that again?"

"You wanted that money to give to the family of the boy?" Agent Mr. Diggle waited for my confirmation. "Felicity can move that money without you ever coming in contact with the Bertinelli's."

"Right, that's what I was trying to say." Felicity clapped Agent Diggle on the shoulder.

"Was that really your plan?" Oliver asked. "Why even bother with street thugs?"

"That's her thing." Cisco chomped on a Twizzler as he answered.

"Look the money is clean and I didn't know what else to do." I admitted. "The family is drowning in Student Loans."

"While that is noble…" Oliver leaned back in his chair to better regard me. "Have you considered putting your powers to better use?"

"Perhaps this wasn't touched on at the meeting but I'm no hero." I assured. "Just ask Agent Diggle."

"You were carrying out orders while in captivity." The brown-skinned man answered. "That isn't the same thing as a criminal."

"So I have been told."

A thick silence fell over the room at the finality in my tone.

"Hey, Dig can I take another look at that helmet." Cisco asked, breaking up the meeting at the table. Felicity tittered off on her heels toward the set of computers…but not before reminding Oliver that he should check on the new recruits. That left just Barry and I at the round glass table.

"Sorry for trying to kill you last week." I started, much to Barry's amusement.

"Believe it or not: You aren't the first friend to try and kill me."

"Rough week?"

"Nah, I mean Tuesday is always rough. Not nearly as rough as yours." Barry leaned back in his chair and scratched at the back of his head. "How are you doing?"

"I'll be fine. I just need a bottle of tequila and a good night's sleep." I said but Barry didn't look amused. Taking a deep breath… "It's hard okay. Vowing to never cause that much destruction again then doing it and killing a kid in the process. Knowing you have that much…darkness in you is one thing. You can keep it on a tight leash. Shut it up in a box, y'know. But to look your own demons in the face and have them laugh at you…"

"Kane, everyone has demons. I've had to face my own time and time again. And yes it's damn-near impossible to come out on top when your facing those demons alone. No matter how strong you are. You aren't alone anymore Kane. You have people with you and behind you that are not going to allow those demons to take over."

Barry let his words of comfort sink in as I rubbed at my temples. The lack of sleep finally beginning to catch up with me. As the friendly silence stretched on…the speedster gnawed on his lip in rhythm with his knee jiggling so quickly that it was a blur.

"What is it, Hero?"

"It that the only reason that you left Central City? Not because of… someone else?" Barry asked over my groan of annoyance. "Listen, I'm sorry. We couldn't tell you about Earth-2 and your doppelgänger. I'm sure you have like…questions and concerns."

"You're damn right I do." I took a deep breath and worked to modulate my voice. "You…"

"You should direct those questions to Cisco."

"I'm not asking Francisco Ramon anything." I made a show out of not looking in the direction Cisco had gone. "Why would I? He clearly hates me."

"Oh what!" Barry scoffed, not bothering to keep his voice down. "Kane, Cisco does not hate you."

"He wont even look at me, Barry!" I hissed back adding a roll of my eyes. "If he doesn't hate me than its just disappointment that the woman he is married to on a different Earth is damaged goods on this one."

"Now you're just being dramatic." Barry sighed, wheeling his chair much closer and dropping his volume. "Yes, Cisco may be having a hard time with his feelings for you because of your…resume… but that doesn't mean he would hate you."

My only response was a perhaps too nonchalant shrug of the shoulders.

"Oh cut the crap, Kane." Barry snorted. "Are you really going to act like all your feelings for Cisco just dissipated. Last week, you went to him at your lowest point. Not your sister. Not a bottle of whiskey…"

"Barry. Please." Green on green, I allowed him to see all the emotion swimming around in my irises. "Can we just entertain the silence or at least talk about something else."

"Okay," He breathed. "Let's talk about your resistance to being a hero."

I had been hoping for small talk: a weather report…the Cubs doing well in baseball…They say beggars cant be choosers.

"I know you think that you aren't qualified to be anything but a criminal. Personally, I think that is a load of crap." Barry smirked when I put a hand to my chest in mock scandal. "Kane I don't believe these powers were given to you for destruction. I think those storm clouds chose you because you have something special. You are something special. You were forced to use those gifts to fight and kill…conditioned to see yourself as nothing other than a weapon. And I get it, Really. If I hadn't of had the support, there would be no telling how I turned out."

"What are you saying, Barry?"

"If you truly don't ever want to be that person again…if you really want redemption… then choose right now." Barry spoke in the most serious tone I had heard pass his lips as he rose. "Choose to fight with us."

"Does someone like me even deserve redemption?" I asked the hero, matching his stance. "Can I even be redeemed?"

"Yes." Barry stuck out his hand. An offering… "You're worth it."

"Do you write your own speeches?" I slid my small hand into his larger one. A promise… "Or is there a team that writes them for you?"

"Come on Short-Stuff." Barry Allen smirked down at me. "We've got work to do."

A/n2: For those that are Arrow Fans- the three vigilantes are Wild Dog, Artemis, and Mr. Terrific.


	14. Do you want me in yours?

_**A/n: Hey everybody! So thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites. They seriously make my day. This chapter got super meaty and honestly I had some trouble making it flow smoothly. Let me know how I did! Also, I briefly address guest Thamy's (Hi!) review question and I plan to fully touch on it later. I'm planning out another three chapters to this story…but I'm also chewing on the idea of doing a sequel. Just to let you know! Hope you enjoy this one!**_

 _ **-Lex**_

The sun reflected so hard off of the chrome stakes near the oversized gazebo that Cisco had to squint from the glare. Judging by the privacy fence, he would say that this landscape was a backyard…a rich man's backyard. The grass was pristine: green and healthy even in the middle of November. The reflective fountain much smaller than the gazebo but couldn't have been any less expensive. A statue of a goddess was planted in the center, her body stretched as if the figurine wanted to touch the sky. Cisco look around again, searching for anything to hint at his location. There was a spattering of bare trees that lined the property just inside the fence. Each tree was connected by a few strings. Strings with dangling little star like flakes from them…were those Christmas Lights?

"Again!" Harry yelled, the surprise jarring him out of the vision.

"Ive been going for over half an hour." Kane yelled back at the man, as the small charges flicked off of her fingers. Her face was slightly misty with the sweat created by her efforts.

"Maybe you just need a better target." Barry suggested. "Something that offers more…incentive."

"As much as we enjoy watching you and Kane fight." Joe commented. "I don't think you should volunteer to be electrocuted."

"It doesn't have to be Barry. There were a few times that Cisco built these drones that…" Caitlin started but was cut off by Kane.

"okay superfriends." Kane groaned at the crowd. "Have we considered the possibility that I only carry this power over my skin?"

He had considered it, not that he told her. Not that the two had actually talked much since her return to Central City. It wasn't like they were avoiding each other…They were just busy. Kane had been focusing a majority of her efforts on learning the team's metahuman files frontwards, backwards and sideways. The curly-haired one had taken up residence at one of the Cortex's spare computers. Cisco had watched her at the makeshift workstation… calculating, and writing a few notes of her own. He had even noticed that Kane was searching for a connection between the Metas and Hydrate. That was turning up a big, fat, zero.

And Cisco had been busy: making adjustment's to the Flash Suit, the Vibe suit and…another side project…It wasn't like he was avoiding her. Seriously. But seriously, how was he supposed to do this? _Hey, we're married on another Earth? Wanna grab dinner and see if we're meant to be on this one?_

The genius didn't see that one going well.

"The gloves are to enhance that power." Cisco told her. "In theory you should be able to throw electricity."

"And, in theory, you can." Harry approached the woman slowly. "If you weren't so afraid…"

"Harry." Caitlin called in warning.

"Doc, you may be surprised to find out that there is a very short list of things that scare me." Kane narrowed her green eyes at the man.

"Do you make the list?" The scientist questioned. "We've seen how powerful you are when you aren't thinking. When youre acting on instinct instead of fearing the very instincts you possess."

"What do ya want from me, Wells?"

"I want you to realize there is a difference between control and resistance."

"Harry," Cisco mentally facepalmed. "It's a good thing that Kane resist some of her instincts. A good thing."

As the words rolled off of his lips Kane's green eyes flashed a fierce gray. Something that had only happened once before. She pivoted, curls whipping off her shoulders and stretched her right hand out in front of her. The electricity crackled over her shoulder, down her bare arms, growing into a ball of energy in the palm of the gray gloves. The charge snapped and crackled as it rode the blast of smoke Kane sent into the cardboard target…completely obliterating the thing with a _pop_ of light

"Well…that worked." Joe mumbled in shock.

"Guess youre right." Kane conceded as she scrambled to take off the gloves. Her eyes cut over to Cisco, irises flashing gray again. "And you aren't wrong."

 _Damn_. He mentally facepalmed again.

"Kane, I didn't…" Cisco began the apology.

"Save it." The air meta ordered. "I did it. It's done. If you all will excuse me then I'm going to make some tea."

"I thought you were a coffee person." Joe asked woman as she started to walk out of the training room.

"My new physician suggested that I switch to less caffeine." Kane responded over her shoulder, barely resting a gaze on Caitlin.

"Hey," Caitlin hissed at Cisco, smacking his chest with the back of her hand. "That was rude."

"She said I wasn't wrong." He defended, making sure that Kane had left the room.

"That doesn't make it right." His best friend scolded before shaking him gently. "She's trying."

Cisco watched Caitlin trot off to follow Kane, her heels clicking in rapid succession. It was an unlikely friendship that the two women appeared to form over the past week. Bonding over something that wasn't shared with the rest of the team. There was light teasing and friendly quips between them that hadn't been there before STAR City. Not to mention the small bruises that were appearing on Caitlin that matched random slashes on Kane that look suspiciously like burns. Whenever anyone noticed the injury on one woman the other would intervene: Caitlin explaining away the questions or Kane suddenly need help with something.

If Cisco didn't know any better…

"Hey," Barry interrupted his thoughts as he propped again the training room computers. "What was that?"

"Apparently, my attempt at sticking my entire foot in my mouth." Cisco groaned. "I meant it. Sometimes resisting urges is a good thing."

"No dude. I mean, Yeah that whole thing was awkward and really there was no easy way out of that and…" Barry stopped his ramble to take a deep breath. "By 'what was that' I meant that I saw you zone out. Did you Vibe?"

"A big backyard. Huge, like one of those you see on HGTV with a fountain, gazebo, privacy fence and the works." Cisco recalled, with a shake of his head. "And there were Christmas lights."

"Christmas lights?" Barry checked. "Would this have anything to do with the CCPD Christmas party?"

"Naw man I don't think so." The genius grunted. "Christmas isn't even for another six weeks."

"Perhaps there is something that will take place in a location with Christmas lights." Harry theorized as he ambled toward the group. "Such as a garden or walking trail of some-sort?"

"There was literally no context to the Vibe. Just a landscape." Cisco reminded.

"Hey guys." Came Iris's worried voice from over the intercom. "Could you come up to the Cortex…now."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

I heard that staring at a pot won't make it boil. But there was always wishful thinking. So I watched the tea kettle, feeling the immediate air shift as the temperature rose by almost undetectable quantities.

"Youre brooding." Caitlin said as she walked into the kitchen.

"Looks good on me." Was my grumbled reply.

"You know he didn't mean it that way." The doctor inched closer to the pot. A true moth to a flame. "And Harry was just trying to tap into your full potential."

"I know, Cait. Everyone is just being helpful." I watched as she turned on another eye to the stove, hands hovering over the heat. "Speaking of helpful. Why don't you tell the rest of the team about the Ice Queen Thing Already?"

 _ **Flashback…just days prior**_

The knock on my door jarred me out of what was promising to be a decent sleep. It was my first night back in my shitty apartment since my adventures in STAR city. All I wanted was a peaceful five to seven hours of sleep but that was clearly too much to request.

I wrenched the door back without bothering to look through the peephole.

"Caitlin?" My voice was thick with sleep. I checked my watch in disbelief. "It's four in the morning."

"Barry mentioned that you don't sleep much. I was hoping that you would be awake." The doctor rubbed her hands together. Was it just me or did she look…pale? "Kane, I need your help."

I ushered her in wordlessly as I tried to process her last few words. She needed my help. What help could I possibly do to help one of the SuperFriends? Caitlin hovered in my living room looking far too keyed up to take a seat on my rather comfortable couch.

"Are you okay, Caitlin?" I asked around a yawn.

"Was there a psychological component to getting your abilities." She asked, with a trembling edge to her voice. "Something that ARGUS was able to tap into that turned you from an average 22-year-old bartender to…a killer."

I blinked once…twice…

"If we are going to do this I need coffee. Okay, I'm make us coffee." I huffed, moving into my connecting kitchen to start up a pot. "If you're asking about my transition from citizen to ARGUS property there wasn't one. I woke up in a padded cell with a tiny camera in the corner recording every move I made."

"There had to be." Caitlin pleaded. "There had to be something that turns a person from…from…"

"Caitlin," I called in attempt to stop the pending freak out. "Why don't you have a seat and we start at the top. Why are you interested in my powers at four in the morning?"

The doctor didn't sit. Instead, she walked around my counter and over to the brewing pot of coffee. Her pale fingers reached out, barely grazing the hot glass. Instantly the pot fogged over, turning the once molten liquid into a chunk of dark ice.

Oh…Caitlin had powers…She had ice powers.

"Surprise." She whispered so low that I wasn't sure I was meant to hear.

"So that would be a no to the coffee then." I murmured but managed to recover quickly. "Do I need to remind you that you work at STAR LABS and with a superhero? You are surrounded by the best minds in the business and you're coming to me for help?"

"Kane, I'm coming to you because you can help me understand these…urges."

"My previous statement still stands Dr. Snow." I grunted, circling her in the kitchen to check my pot. "Did you break my machine?"

"You know about Earth-2." She acknowledged in a whisper…as if saying the name any louder would cause trouble. "How much did Cisco tell you?"

"He only told me that we were married on Earth-2." I whipped around giving her my full attention. "Why?"

"On Earth-2 I'm a murdering super villain… With Ice powers." A foggy mist poured out of her fingertips. "I can feel her deep in my bones. She wants to lash out, cause pain and destruction. I have to learn to control that part of me. To resist the monster inside…even if it kills me. I can't become her, Kane. I cant."

I swallowed thickly before replying. I wasn't sure if that speech was meant to convince me or her.

"If anyone knows a thing or two about resisting their…urges…" I chewed on the word that didn't seem to fit. "…then it would be me. But Caitlin you have to know that while I'm good at pushing that side down…it's not a perfect science. I cant always resist. Sometimes it takes over and you end up with a double-digit body count."

Caitlin chewed on her lip as she processed my words, her pale fingers weaving in and out of each other.

"What if this project was beneficial for both parties? You help me learn to resist the urges. I help you get back in touch with the humanity that you feel you have lost."

"We can do this. But you have got to promise to tell the rest of the team." I offered my hand to her. "Do we have a deal, Snow."

"Deal." She announced, pumping my hand excitedly. "So what's next?"

"Well, I feel like you should learn to channel your energy. Learning to fight and meditate are the best ways to do that." I slipped away from her, tipping into a pair of my sneakers. "Which we'll start on…after you buy me breakfast."

 _ **& &end Flashback**_

"I rather get some understanding of my powers first. And then I'll tell them." She sniffed. "I tried out some of your meditation techniques. Clearing my mind and such, I'm not very good at it."

"Take a shot first…or three." I shrugged.

"As a doctor, I think you and I should have a conversation about the habits you're forming."

"Alcoholism. Small price to pay for everyone's safety… don't you think?" I asked in my best brooding tone.

Caitlin didn't laugh at the joke. She yanked her hands from the stove and balled them into fist at her hips. Looking very much like a middle school principal.

"Kane, why won't you just talk to him?" She snapped and I swore that Cait was going to start tapping her foot.

"We don't have anything to talk about!" I groaned, trying to keep my voice low.

"Really, because it appear that you have very much too talk about." The doctor huffed back before schooling her features into a knowing smile. "Plus, isn't there a side of you that finds this all a bit romantic."

"Girl Talk…really, Frosty? You realize that we are literally the worst people for girl talk." I said hoping for a distraction.

"So you haven't even thought about the romantic side of this. Just a little bit. Not even the side of you that has that trashy romance novel sitting on your coffee table."

"You will never speak of that again, Caitlin Snow." I warned, Plucking the kettle from the eye before the whistle could blow. Caitlin's smirk was still unwavering on her face and I took a deep breath to give in. "Fine. There is a small…microscopic…Disney princess in me that life hasn't managed to stomp out that thinks soulmates might be a thing." I continued to grumble as I carefully made two cups of minty smelling tea.

"Then don't you think you owe it to yourself to at least talk to him."

"Don't you go owe to me to make like Elsa and 'let it go."

Cait let it drop for a moment, drinking in the heat that radiated from the stove. In a very short time I had grown to really enjoy the company of Dr. Snow. It was kind of cool…for lack of better words. I had never been one to have girls that I was close to…not that I was close with Caitlin. There was an illusion of kinship between us, having kept the same secrets. Having similar fears. But I had let her know that her plan wasn't smart. We were surrounded by some of the best minds in Central City. They were going to find out that something wasn't quite right with her.

"Um Caitlin, Kane…" Cisco voice filled the room and I locked eyes with the Ice Meta. His voice was just a bit over pitch, trying too hard to be calm. "We need you two in the Cortex. Like Right Now."

Without another word, Caitlin flipped off the stove and we half-jogged to the Cortex. Geez, if it wasn't one thing then it was another around here. The tap of Caitlin's heels riffed off the walls much louder than the clunk of my boots…but I could still hear voices over the noise.

 _Tajsa's voice_.

Picking up the pace, I rounded the corner first…skidding to a halt right before my sister. She dropped her head, a half-hearted attempt to hide inside of the unruly midnight curls that mirrored my own. Her hair had done little to hide the injuries from me. Her nose was swollen, one side with a scape that appeared ready to start bleeding again. An identical scrape on the right side of her jaw just under the dip of her chin. Her bottom lip a beet red…swollen and cracked.

A charged silence swept over the room and I could feel everyone's eyes on me. My blood ran hot and electricity crackled like fire under my skin. I had hoped…prayed to whoever would listen…that this would never, ever happen to her. Not her.

Tajsa peeked up at me through the curls…her eyes, our matching eyes…rimmed in red. I pulled in a breath through my nose only to release it through my teeth. Right now, Taj needed me. She needed me to be her sister. Not her protector.

"Taj," I called affectionately, tilting her bruised chin up slightly. "What happened."

"I fell." She bleated, not meeting my eyes. "Off my bike. And on to the curb. 'S not that bad."

"You fell off your bike, onto a curb and only hit your face." I checked, scanning the rest of her for injuries.

"Yeah, strong bones I guess." My sister tried to joke but her busted lip wouldn't let her smile.

I checked the rest of Team Flash meeting nothing but anger and confusion.

"Tajsa I want you to be really honest with me." I let go of her chin for favor of holding her hands. "Did someone hit you?"

She still didn't look at me…only nodded.

"Did Abe hit you?" I asked, this time her green eyes locked onto mine.

"I…I deserved it. I skipped school one-day last week and came here. Abe found out and I wouldn't tell him where I went. If I hadn't of skipped…"

"No." my reply came out too sharp and I worked to soften my voice. "There will never be anything you do that will make you deserve this. Never. You understand me?"

"I understand." Tajsa blinked back tears as she slapped herself into me. Her arms snaking around my waist and holding on dearly. "I snuck out to come here. I didn't…I didn't know…where else to go."

"Tajsa, you can always come here." Barry told my sister as her small sobs began to form.

"Caitlin? Can you…?" I started to ask the doctor.

"Of Course. Let's take a look at you, Tajsa." Caitlin pried the girl away from me as Joe followed. I vaguely heard him say something about taking her statement and things. Wells asserted that he was going to help Dr. Snow…I barely heard him.

 _In…out. Breath in. Breath out_. The blood pumped thickly through my veins, a harsh _wooshing_ in my ears.

 _Breath in. Breath out._

I turned on the toes of my boots, dashing toward the main elevator.

"Kane!" Barry appeared in front of me, blocking my pursuit. "I know this hurts but…"

"You don't know Barry! I told him!" I growled, smacking the speedster's chest with an open palm. " I told him that if he ever laid a hand on my sister that I would make him wish that I was really dead. That I would turn his world inside out. That I would…"

"Murder him." Cisco supplied from behind me.

"Yes." I pivoted toward him, midnight curls flying off my shoulders. "I want to pull the air out of his body. I want to watch the light go out of his eyes. I can do it. I've dreamt about it. I…"

During my rant I locked eyes with Cisco and was…shocked. Perhaps it was the light against the onyx of his irises but I could see myself as a reflection. My usually grassy eyes were a metallic, stormy grey. The orbs glowed in my head, flickering like a flame. My eyes…My father's eyes were not staring back at me.

"Kane?" Cisco asked, blinking away the reflection.

All those romantic poems I had read in high school had said that the eyes were the window to the soul. A reflection. A mirror. Was my soul turning icy and metallic like the glowing irises? Were those the eyes of a monster?

"Tajsa was born prematurely. The doctors said her heart would be strong enough to beat on its own. My mom told them it would, that she believed it that Tajsa would be strong enough. And She was, her heart beat was stronger than the other infants in the hospital. Right from the damn start" I sucked down a breath, allowing myself to go back to that moment. Cracking my eyes open, I locked gazes with Barry. "And right then my parents made me promise to always protect that heart. So, no Barry Allen, you don't understand."

"I do understand. You would give anything to protect your sister. I get it." Barry assured, his voice that heroic kind of calm. "But what about you Kane? What about your own heart?"

"My heart? My heart broke a long time ago, Barry."

"Abe broke your heart." Cisco took a step into my personal space, slowly, as if any quick movement would startle me. Before I could retreat from the proximity, his long fingers wrapped around my wrist: Searing me where the skin grazed, daring me to leave, begging to stay. "But he doesn't deserve to own the rest of your soul. Not anymore."

Breath in. _Breath out_ , I shut my eyes hard… hoping to realign the rest my heart with the remaining pieces of my soul I found the fingers of my free hand reaching over to cover his. My body didn't care that I was still upset with Cisco because I drunk in his warmth. Another breath in and out as I attempted to control…myself. His free hand reached up to join the pile and I allowed the security to comfort me, anchoring me back to reality.

 _Reality_. Reality was the truth of Cisco's words.

"Youre right. Abe cant take anymore away from me. It's not like I have that much to give." I confessed, my voice sounding only half as helpless as I felt. "So, what should I do?"

"Um, Kane." Iris called from further down the hall. Three pairs of eyes snapped in her direction. "I think my dad and I have a plan."

I immediately shot down Joe and Iris's plan. It was a well-now fact that I had some stuff on Abe that would put him in a prison cell for the rest of his natural life. Operation give Abe an ultimatum: Either I spill all the tea or he goes away for abusing my sister. Instantly, I recited a laundry list of reason why this was a terrible plan…something akin to: 'Abe will lawyer away any chargers against him as he had done in the past. Technically, I am dead as far as CCPD knows and any confession to a dead person wouldn't exactly hold as evidence. Plus do you really think it's wise to get me within fifty feet of that bastard! I thought you were supposed be TOP COP or something and that is your plan? And you too Prom Queen'.

Anticipating my questions, Iris further explained. Abe would turn himself in to the police or the Flash would expose his dealings to the proper authorities. I chewed it over for a moent before concurring that it was a good idea…but it would take some convincing. Barry asked if I was feeling persuasive.

 _You bet your ass I did._

So less than an hour later I found myself walking up to Abe's house. It was a two-story white paneled house with five rooms, a huge basement and an even bigger backyard. I gritted my teeth to fight against the memories that threatened to consume me. Those memories always left a bad taste in my mouth that I could quite ignore.

"Kane? Where are you going?" Caitlin asked through the earpiece in response to the live video feed.

"It's a week after Halloween," I grumbled. "Abe is already putting up Christmas decorations."

"Should have known he was that kind of person." Cisco sounded.

I flipped the latch on the privacy fence and crept into the backyard. It was just the way I remembered: fake grass made to look perfect, enormous gazebo and a splattering of those tress that had those pink blossoms in the spring. Abe was exact where I expected him to be…on top of a latter to thread Christmas lights through the trees.

 _Breath in. Breath out_.

"Abraham." I growled, earning his attention.

"Ah," He turned, his blue eyes on me briefly before coming off the ladder. "You're late."

"You were expecting me?" I didn't dare move any closer to him.

"Kane, I raised you. You think I didn't know that Rough and Tough older sister wouldn't be come knocking. You have not been taking my calls and who could blame you. You are wanted for murdering that child." Abe scoffed. "'Mother-Nature?' Even I could come up with a better name than that!"

"You abused my sister because you wanted…" I started, trying to process the words.

"I heard you were in STAR City last week. Did you happen to run into Agent Diggle? You always liked him. Trusted him." Abe picked up another set of lights from the pile at the foot of the latter. "Reminded you of the outside word and all of that."

"I used to think you were just sick. Fucked up in the head or something but no." I inched closer, spitting the words in his direction. "It's more than that."

"What? You're gonna label me as evil?" Abe threw the lights back down. "Remember who you are talking to Kane. I read every file that Amanda Waller had on you. About how easy it was to break down your humanity. To mold you into a solider. How at the end of a year you were almost unrecognizable from the bratty young woman you had been…"

"Don't listen to him." Joe instructed over the ear piece.

"All these years, I've thought that my parents dying was the absolute worst thing that could have ever happened." I took a deep breath as anger and pain swam through me. "But I was wrong. Meeting you was the worst thing to ever happen to us."

"Are you kidding? I was the best thing you could have asked for. Don't you get it?" Abe stepped off the latter and took a seat on one of the expensive lawn chairs. "Iron sharpens Iron. Strength invites strength. Everything I've done…All the beatings, the bruises, emotional and psychological turmoil. Everything has been to help you reach your full potential."

"What are you saying Abe! That I was built for the abuse?" I screamed, absently feeling a couple of tear sting the back of my eyes. "What about Tajsa?"

"Collateral Damage. She'll understand." Abe supposed.

I tried to imagine my skin my steel, so his words couldn't penetrate. But those words…they were like the hottest knifes…ripping into my core. I knew Abe was a menace but he wasn't without purpose. Was it possibly that I…deserved every single bit? That by standing up to Abe's abuse…by adapting to my surroundings…by doing what I had to in order to survive…I invited every storm I weathered?

"Kane this man is sick and disturbed. Don't allow him to…" Wells spoke as I reached up to turn off the earpiece.

There were one too many voices in my head.

"Now. We have established that father clearly knows best, how about we make a new deal. I can give you back everything. Making you a citizen again in the eyes of the law. Sign over legal guardian right for your sister."

"In exchange for what?" I asked, still shaken his previous statements.

"You come and work for me." Abe's blue eyes were deep and unreadable. "There is a New Wave rising in Central City Kane and it's best that you are a part of it."

"Actually I came to make you a deal." I cleared my throat. " Account number 0199 3153 2012. The safety deposit box in Hub City. The underground storage unit in Coast City. The safe house in Bludhaven."

"How?" Abe growled, taking a step in my direction. "How did you…"

"It doesn't stop there Abe. I have dedicated a significant amount of my life to gathering intel to ruin you." I almost smiled as the shock colored his features. "I know about all the bones and I know where all the bodies are buried."

"But you wouldn't use that information against me. You need me! To take care of your sister!"

"My sister is in much better hands." I assured, dropping to a deadpan. "You raised me Abe. So tell me, would I use that information against you."

My foster father turned a slight shade of green…almost matching his perfect grass.

"Turn yourself in for child abuse or I spill everything." I made a show out of lifting my jacket sleeve to reveal my watch. "Offer expires in thirty-five seconds."

A shift in air current alerted me that another person had joined us in the yard. I whipped around to find a rather handsome blonde man propped against the doorway that connected the main house to the yard. "Abe says that you can be rather resourceful given the proper incentive."

"And who the hell are you?" I asked.

"Malcolm Thawne." He grunted.

Under the pretense of scratching my ear, I clicked the device back on. Team Flash started to reprimand me but I ignored it.

"Malcolm Thawne? Is that supposed to mean something to me?" I asked, pretending not to know him.

"It's the return of the evil bloodline!" Cisco squawked in my ear.

"I wouldn't expect my name to mean much to you. Yet." The man stepped further out into the yard. The pendant handing from his neck danced in the light. "But I thought out of all people…You would understand my plan."

"Oh the Central City takeover. That's your wack-ass plan?"

"Antagonizing." At least four people scolded through the ear piece.

"Perhaps you don't understand. The Flash killed my brother. He was a good man. A cop." He explained. "You obviously understand wanting to protect your family. So why don't you do something constructive with all that passion. If everything I heard about you is true, I could use someone like you."

"Sorry handsome. Only most of the stories are true." I purred. "And you're too late. I'm already spoken for."

I was relatively sure that the hacking sound in my ear was Cisco choking.

"Shame."

The beam of light cut through the air so quickly that I almost couldn't dodge it. It was blue, blinding bright and _hot_. It had crackled like the flame of a butane lighter. I spun on my toes just in time but still felt the sizzling heat fly past my cheek. Blinking away the dots in my vision as the air shifted and I could feel Thawne leaping toward me…With a sword that appeared to be made from the same blue flame he had thrown. I sent a wind current to sweep at his feet just as he was inches from the ground. Thawne tilted of balance, skidding to a halt on his knees and dropping the flaming sword. I continued to attack, blasting him with as much smoke as I could form until I was close enough to land a punch square in his jaw. The bone breaking on contact.

Thawne, himself was not easily defeated as he swept my feet from under me and having another flame burst from the pendant at his chest. I flipped out of the attack as I feel but Thawne had the upper hand…not allowing me to get my bearings as I danced away from the continuous beams. Using the new trick, I had learned earlier, I sent a blast of electricity at the same time as his next beam of light. The two reacted, spinning themselves into a ball that exploded with a deafening clap of thunder and a burst of wind. The shockwave tossed me back a few feet, slamming me into one of the trees.

"Ah. I'm really beginning to hate trees." I groaned, clutching my side as my head spun. There had to me at least one rib broken.

"Kane your live feed stopped working. What going on?" Barry asked in a panic.

The shockwave threw off my senses and made my ears ring. I hadn't tracked Thawne and noticed him running across the lawn much too late. Blue sword in hand he sliced through the tree bark like it was room temperature Jello. Impulse had my hands shooting out to catch the 20- foot log that was crashing down much faster than I thought trees could fall. I yelped as I caught it, the wood splintering into my skin.

"Okay guys. Thawne just hit me with a tree and I cant kill him." I growled, rolling the wood off of me. "Being one of the good guys suck!"

The earpiece was radio silent but my ears still rung.

"It really is a shame that you don't want to join me." Thawne tsked, his large hand wrapping around my neck from behind. "Kneel."

"No." I refused.

Something smacked the back of my head…hard…sending me to the fake grass and setting my ears ringing even louder.

"Are you for me or against?" Thawne promised as he circled to stand in front of me. His fiery blade just inches from sizzling on my neck.

My head felt like cotton and hurt like hell…but my body was trying to tell me something. Something that had to do with my powers. With the change of the air and the way my tiny hairs stood on end. I swam through the murky waters, feeling out for the subtle vibrations in the air.

"Answer me, Kane." Thawne growled.

It was Cisco. He was near. Without looking, I sensed him behind Thawne: About seven feet back, half hidden behind the fallen tree trunk. Somehow…I knew what I was supposed to do.

"Kiss. My. Ass." I growled at Thawne as he swung back his blade.

I lunged, grabbing his knees and sending the strongest electric currents I possibly could. Thawne howled in agony and dropped the blade…which sliced open my shoulder on the way down. The pain was unmatched. A blistering and shocking pain that was only reserved for torture. I writhed on the grass, sucking too much air and vaguely registering that than was getting thrown into a tree of his own by…were those vibrations? Was Cisco doing that?

I tried to climb to my feet but the pain in my shoulder set fire.

"Kane!" Cisco ran over to me, catching me before I slammed back into the grass.

"Did you do that?" I ground the question through my teeth.

"Yeah and I can do this too." Cisco linked his hand with mine and leaned over.

What came next could only be described as that first drop from the top of the roller coaster. My stomach lurched, my bones felt weightless…and I was now staring up at the Med Bay lights in S.T.A.R. Labs.

Only for a second though, because after that everything went black.

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

"Okay Kid," I addressed my sister, still picking at a few of the temporary clothes I had gotten her. "I think you are all set up in here."

Joe had suggested that Tajsa temporarily took Iris's old room, insisting that as a cop he could protect her. Once I woke up from my pain induced nap…I had agreed, fearing that my place might have been compromised by now. Tajsa sat on Iris's childhood bed with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms hugging. Caitlin had patched her up pretty well, promising that the cuts were shallow and would heal on their own.

"Are you sure I'm not being like…extra trouble or anything?" Tajsa mumbled. "Why cant I just stay at your place?"

"Because I'm not sure my place is safe anymore." I turned to her. "Don't pick at your lip, Taj."

"Don't pick at your sling" She gestured to the contraption that Dr. Ice Queen was making me wear for at least five more hours. "Does your shoulder hurt?"

It did.

"I've had worse."

"Me too," She panned, placing her chin on her knees. "I heard you tell Barry that when I was born, Dad made you promise to protect me."

"We're sisters, I'll always be here for you. Even if I hadn't made that promise."

"Yeah but I don't really feel like its realistic." Tajsa had to physically stop herself from picking at her bandages. "I'm not a defenseless baby anymore like when our parents died. To try to protect me from…everything, all the time? That's a lot of pressure and really unfair to you. This isn't your fault."

"It sure as hell isn't yours." I sighed, sitting heavily beside her on the bed. Her words filed back in my brain, saving themselves to be processed later. "You know, Joe kind of reminds me of Dad."

"Really?" Her eyes sparked at the thought. "Like how?"

"You should see the way he is with his kids. Understanding, patient, protective and all that. I mean Barry looks like Dad, green eyes and pale skin, but Joe…he and Dad would have been friends."

Tajsa played with the ends of her curls as she chewed on that information. Her slim shoulders relaxed bit by bit, relieved that she wasn't a pest to Joe.

"You've had some shady friends in the past but these people…they are good for you. I mean it." Tajsa insisted in response to my expression. "You've always been kind of intense but you…breathe easier around them. Especially Cisco."

"This again?"

"Kane. He made a joke today, A Princess Bride joke about you storming the castle." Tajsa coughed a laugh. "And you smiled."

"Okay, I smiled. So what?"

"You hardly ever smile. Sneer-yes. Smirk, absolutely." Tajsa huffed as if I should know this already. "But hardly ever a real smile. I never even saw you smile like that when you were dating Rick."

"Caitlin gave you that shot for your condition right. Must be going to your head." I laughed, ruffling her curls as I rose. "Get some sleep, Kid. Love you."

"Love you too." Tajsa scrambled under her covers as I headed to the door. "Kane, Wait."

"Yeah?"

"Um, back when Abe…when you…" Tajsa took a breath and started again. "What did you tell people? When they asked about the bruises or anything."

"I said 'I lost a battle but I'll win the war'."

Tajsa smiled as best she could, snuggling further into the bed. I closed the door behind me and saw Barry lurking like a white shadow in the hall.

"Is that really what you said?"

"Hell no." I whispered, making my way down the stairs. The West clan and Cisco were littered around the living room. "I told them it was like Fight Club. They usually left me alone after that."

"Is Tajsa all good up in the room?" Wally asked, the two getting along better than I could have hoped.

"Yeah. She's gonna get some rest." I turned to Joe. "Thank you again, for letting her stay here."

"It feels good to have two kids in the house again." Joe assured. "My offer for you to stay still stands."

"Thanks but no thanks Joe." I carefully slid on my jacket. "It's been a long day. I'm heading out for a drink."

"By yourself?" Iris asked.

"Captain Morgan will meet me there." I replied over my shoulder as I stepped through the threshold.

I felt _him_ following me more than I actually heard the footsteps. It was madding that my body was always so aware of his.

"Hey," Cisco greeted just as I stepped off the porch.

"Hey back," There appeared to be a trend in our greetings. "Sorry to disappoint handsome. I tend drink alone."

"I was hoping that we could talk."

"Thanks for saving me today but we have nothing to talk about."

"That's not true." Cisco shook his head and he boldly made his way to lessen the distance. "Kane I'm Sorry for what I said today about…"

"Save it, Genius. You know a monster when you see one."

"You aren't a monster, Kane. If I didn't already know that I would have known, after I talked with Tajsa." Cisco insisted. "She told me that years ago if she was really in pain that you would curl up with her and you sang love songs until she fell asleep. That you volunteered at After School programs for under privileged Kids and…"

"Sang. Volunteered…" I pointed out the words. "Past Tense, Cisco."

"Tajsa also told me that your middle name _is_ Nadia. In a lot of countries that name means hope." Cisco informed, leaning in closer and dropping his voice. "Why would your parents name you hope if all you were was a monster?"

"Barry thinks I can be redeemed. That I'm worth it." I told him. "I don't know if I believe that…yet. But I'm Trying. I'm trying real damn hard."

"I know you are. I can see that and I'm sorry if it seems like I'm doubting you. That won't happen again." Cisco inched closer attempting to hold my gaze. I chose to study the railing instead on his onyx eyes. A hand came up…slowly…allowing me time to pull away if I didn't want to be touched. He pushed a bundle of my midnight curls behind my ear in order to better look at the shoulder bandage that was peaking from under my shirt.

"I bet that hurts like hell." He commented, outlining the bandage with his fingertip.

"Eh," I shrugged, using every fiber of my being not to lean into his hand. "I've had worse."

Cisco tensed for a few seconds before the fingers stopped outlining my healing injury to curl around my chin. He tipped my chin upwards until I was forced to look into his eyes. Moss on Onyx.

"You don't have to do that." Cisco stated as his warm fingers fell away from my face. "You don't have to be strong when you're with me."

"I don't have a choice." I confessed. "I'm built for this. Remember."

"No." Was Cisco's sharp reply. "Nobody is built to be abused. Nobody deserves it. You didn't deserve it."

His words danced around in my head, banging against the darkness that had made camp there many, many years ago. I allowed myself to feel the sincerity in his words, to let them comfort and reassure me. As the silence paced on, Cisco intertwined our hands together. Much like he had done that night in his apartment.

"Is she better?" I asked, leaking more jealously in my voice than I wanted. "Is _She_ a better person than me?"

"Kane you shouldn't know anything about her. Either way." Cisco insisted, immediately knowing which 'she' I wanted to know about. "Her life is in no way connected to yours and…"

"How can you say that? _She_ has my face. _She_ has my name. _She_ has my parents. My sister…" I trailed off, losing some of my steam. "She has you."

"No," His thumb stroked across the back of my hand. A reminder. "She doesn't have _me_."

"When you look at me…" Butterflies beat merciless against my ribs. "Do you see her?"

Cisco didn't answer.

"That's not fair." I huffed, narrowing my eyes at him. "To see me through this lens..."

"She's basically the leader of a crime organization. That's all I know. Honestly. I cant tell you if she still has your parents. Or your sister for that matter." Cisco answered, nervously biting his bottom lip. "but I can promise that from now on I'll do my damnedest to make sure I only see the Kane in front of me."

"And you. Who are you over there?"

"I'm basically Darth Cisco with a lot of guy-liner."

"I date a guy with eyeliner?"

"Married to him." Cisco laughed before stiffly shifting to a more serious expression. "I owe you an apology."

"Another one?" I asked, receiving a sharp nod from Cisco.

"I had convinced myself that we were both just busy this week and I wasn't avoiding you. But I have been." Cisco released a breath that bordered on frustration as he absently squeezed my hand. " The truth is that this. Us. Scares the hell out of me."

"Oh. I guess I can understand that. I get it." I allowed, wanting to curl in on myself. I _scared_ him. I let go of his warm hands in favor of tucking my sling-less arm around my middle, feeling exposed…and not for the first time. "I'm sure you were…expecting someone different. Nicer, Sweeter, less self-destructive. I mean you work day in and day out with Caitlin and…"

"Kane, no! You don't scare me! We scare me! This thing…" Cisco corrected in one long breath before starting again. "I am not this lucky."

"Youre loosing me genius." I shushed him. "Start at the beginning and I'll try to keep up."

"It's the multiverse, Kane. There are an infinite Earths and therefore infinite versions of us. An Earth wear we are married, one where we are in-laws, one where we are mortal enemies, one without you, one without me. Infinite combinations!"

"That's…a lot." I shook my head. I had been surprised to know that there was an Earth-2. But… _infinite_. "But why does that scare you."

"Because I'm not lucky enough to find my soulmate more than once! I don't know if this is the Earth where I get to be happy and if I get to be happy with you! I…"

"You need to breathe, Cisco." I cut off his rant. Acting on impulse, I stepped into his personal space and curled my good hand into his open hoodie. "Look, I don't know if I really believe in soulmates…"

"I do." Cisco breathed, his warm breath washing over my face. "I believe that there are people who are…tethered. That no matter when, no matter where or what…they find each other."

Those damn butterflies were wrestling with my insides again and I couldn't look away from his deep eyes.

"You're the genius here, so that may be true." I wanted to let go of him, to look away, to hide from the storm that had finally caught up to us. The thunder and lightening that would expose me to him…that would part the clouds long enough for him to see the deepest part of my heart. Perhaps there were some winds I could not control. My fingers curled in deeper to his jacket and I hoped he didn't notice the trembling. "But that is too easy. I think that those people have to choose. Together, apart, enemies…just friends."

I took another deep breath and allowed myself to feel some of that hope I was named after.

"Each version of us has to write their own timeline. So I am. I'm choosing you to be a part of my timeline." My heart sped in my chest and I was pretty sure the butterflies had decided on cartwheels. "Do you want me in yours?"


	15. Barry Allen

A/N: First of all, Happy holidays! I was completely blown away by the response to last chapter! Seriously, it made me envision the Kaneco Future. I'm not the best at Romance but I hope I give the people what they want. Any comments or questions and absolutely welcome! I played around with this chapter for a bit…but I decided to give out a present. Happy New Years!

Let me know if you dig this chapter!-Lex

The first thing Cisco registered when he stirred was that his sheets smelled fantastic…like rainwater and some flower he couldn't identify. He inhaled deeply, mentally thanking Caitlin for recommending that new laundry detergent. The half-conscious metahuman began to stretch and roll to his side but froze mid-movement. His promising early morning stretch was blocked…by a soft, warm, curvy weight. Popping open his eyes, the genius found none other than Kane McMillian under his duvet. She was pushed right up against his chest, nestled into the space between his arm and chest with her midnight curls spilling in every which direction. Kane slept like a child: curled into a ball, hands tucked peacefully under her cheek. The memories of the night before flooded his fuzzy brain.

 _Each version of us has to write their own timeline. So I am. I'm choosing you to be a part of my timeline. Do you want me in yours?_

Cisco was so overwhelmed that he didn't know how to respond. Was this really happening? Just choosing her, could it really be that simple? Was Kane making a Dr. Who reference? Did Kane even watch Dr. Who? Millions of thoughts fought for priority in his overworked mind…

"So that would be a no?" Kane had laughed nervously, releasing him to back away.

His body responded thoughtlessly…curling his arms around her waist, pulling Kane flush against his chest, securing her lips to his own. Kane kissed him back with that mixture of tender eagerness that he had become accustomed to. He pulled away…out of breath and tripping over his own words… and assured her that he wanted nothing more than to write his own timeline with her. Kane had smiled up at him, a wide and blushing grin with a matching coyness that flickered in her eyes. A secret smile, just for him.

That expression gained a spot on his heart's favorite shelf.

The air meta claimed that she took her drinks alone. But one drink turned into two drinks. Three drinks turned into four slices of deep dish pizza from this late night spot only five blocks from his apartment. She had planned to spend the night on the med bay bed at S.T.A.R. Labs but Cisco insisted that his place had much comfier pillows.

"Are you trying to get me in your bed, Cisco?" Kane had purred, peeking up at him through her curls.

 _Yes. Yes, he was._

However, his mother had raised a gentleman. Cisco insisted on Kane taking his bed while he…afraid to make an alcohol-induced fool out of himself…took the couch. The genius was almost asleep before he remembered that his phone was a device that required charging and said charger was trapped in his room. Knowing that Kane slept like a troubled Jedi, he had crept down the hall with plans to make a silent extraction. However, the small sniffles and soft rumbles he heard on the other side of his door gave him another reason to hold his breath.

 **Flashback**

"Kane?" He called, cracking the door just enough to peak his head in.

"Did I wake you?" She asked around a grunt as she drew her knees upward.

"I wasn't asleep." He responded absently, walking completely into the room and reaching to click on his bedside lamp. Kane recoiled away from the bright light but Cisco still saw. The slight flush of her mocha skin, the tracks from tears that she hadnt wiped away, her green eyes tinged with red. "Whats wrong?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry, I'm not going to cry every time I'm over here." Kane dismissed, still looking away. "That drink just didn't chase away the demons…usually works."

"Let me take a crack at it." Cisco suggested, climbing across the bed to sit beside her. A full minute of silence passed… "How am I supposed to fix it if you don't tell me what's wrong?"

"There are somethings that can't be fixed." She promised, her fingers curling into to fist at the bottom of his worn out 'World of Coke' shirt. "Not even by a genius."

"Okay." Cisco relented, grabbing that hand and uncurling the fist. Her small hand was cold inside of his own. "But how do I make you smile if I don't know what makes you cry?"

Kane hummed, absently breaking a small grin as she stared at their hands.

"Tajsa claims that youre very good at making me smile." Kane threaded her fingers through his own before taking a deep breath. "I've killed twelve people. I have super strength. I can control fucking air currents and blast electricity. And for all that power…my abusive foster father can still get to me."

"Now that you've taken Tajsa away, Abe isn't your anything." Cisco assured. "Just a demon of your past."

"It was just a bad dream." Kane dismissed on a mumble.

"Do you have a lot of nightmares? 'S just that I know you don't sleep much or very well." Cisco snuck an arm in behind her and brought his hands around to rest on her tummy.

"It's a combination of nightmares and having learned to sleep with one eye open on the Task Force." Kane answered after she snuggled down into Cisco's embrace.

"What did they do to you?" Cisco breathed, Kane shivering as his breath washed over her neck.

"One day, handsome. I'll tell you everything." She mumbled groggily into his chest. "But not tonight."

 **End Flashback.**

Here…relaxed features and absent of tension…Kane seemed years younger and much less intimidating. Had Kane always been this…small? Like, Cisco knew she was just barely over five feet tall without her combat boots on. He knew that he towered over her…easily. Yet, she had never _seemed_ small. Like a doll, like a princess, like someone he should protect.

As if sensing his watchful eyes on her face, Kane turned her back to him and released a sleepy little sigh. It was cute. Cisco had never thought of her as cute. Beautiful, gorgeous, sexy were more or less his go-to in regards to Kane. She was still all of those things _but_ between his sheets, in this quite world of just the two of them. Kane was relaxed, cute and oh-so-small.

He was tempted to tack on the word safe to that list until his eyes fell on the small stripe of skin that peeked out between her sleeping shorts and shirt. The ARGUS scar stared back at him almost mockingly. Telling him that although Kane was physically safe with him…her past was always haunting behind her eyes. She would never be safe from her own demons.

 _She will_. Cisco corrected himself as he reached out to stoke the raised skin. _She will be safe from those demons_.

The next few seconds happen too fast for Cisco to follow but in short…Kane woke up.

Her training had kicked on and one swift move the air meta was on top of him. Legs straddling his waist, one hand pinning back his arm and another ready to crush his windpipe.

"Kane!" Cisco called, trying to pull her mind back into the room. "Holy Ninja! It's me! It's Cisco."

"Cisco!" She squawked, yanking her hands away and her green eyes clearing of surprise. Her tiny hands fluttered around her mouth as words tumbled out quicker than he had ever heard them. "I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you! I usually can tell when it's you but…but…I didn't recognize the room and…and I…"

"Ok relax Crouching Tiger!" He snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her into a hug. "I'm fine. Not a scratch on me. Still breathing."

Kane laid a hand over his heart…as if she needed more evidence.

"So I should be more careful about waking you. Noted and filed in the Important Folder."

"It's just that I don't usually sleep that deeply." She yanked on her curls. "…just surprised me."

Kane lifted herself off of Cisco and started to roll away. An attempt to give him some space but he whined at the loss of contact…a noise of protest in the back of his throat. He caught her around the waist mid-scoot and brought her flush with his chest again. Kane's tiny frame stiffened in his arms and her green eyes flashed with a mild panic. Cisco knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was seeing the closest thing to fear that she offered. With any other person, Cisco would have assumed the fear of the unknown or fear of being intimate. However, He _understood_ Kane and had seen this exact expression. Kane's fear stemmed from vulnerability. He brushed his lips over her forehead, cheeks and eyelids…repeating the circuit until the waves of her anxiety melting into the calm ebbs of earlier. Trying to show her that it was okay to relax, that no one was going to hurt her, that she was safe.

And he told her so just for good measure.

"Youre safe." He assured, brushing a kiss of comfort over her lips as he rolled on top of her. "Youre safe."

"Hmmm," Kane hummed in satisfaction as he continued the trail of light kisses down her jaw. "You'll want to be very careful Cisco."

"I told you." He mumbled against her skin. "Noted and filed."

"I mean careful of spoiling me early on. A girl can get used to something like this." Kane reached into his shirt and started to draw thoughtless patterns along his chest. "Don't start something you cant finish."

 _Why would he ever want to leave this bed? Or this moment with her?_

Her warning meant as much to him as the patter of rain outside of his bedroom window. Just nothing. Just like the rain getting trapped in the storm gutters…he was trapped here with Kane. Willingly, happily trapped. She had infiltrated his senses. Cisco could only see the way her wild curls haloed her face. Her scent the only thing in his nose. Her sharp intake of breath in response to the slide of teeth over her skin…loud in his ears. A taste of something that was just…inexplicably Kane on his tongue. But as far as touch…

Closer. He needed to be closer.

Either Kane was reading his mind or at least sharing his thoughts because she yanked off the worn shirt without a bit of hesitation. Her bra was a deep shade of purple with lacey black ribbon accents that made the garment look even more delicate. A clash with the Task Force Tattoos that marred her lovely skin. Cisco traced the ink with his pointer finger even though he had memorized the pattern. Four 'IX's down her abdomen. One just under her breast…

"You got a new tattoo." Cisco acknowledged. Tracing the new nine under her left breast with a barely-there touch. "Why."

"For Phillip King." Kane shivered. "So I never forget him."

"If the nines are for your kills then why don't you have twelve?"

"They aren't all kills." Kane brought his lips to meet hers in a scorching kiss. "Just reminders."

Cisco kissed the nine on the inside of her wrist.

"Scars." She further clarified.

"If it's scars you want…"

Cisco dipped his head, aiming just two inches under her collarbone…and sucked the soft skin. A new marker. A new reminder. Kane writhed under him, another gasp of approval as her long nails scratched at the base of his skull.

"When I was in Star City, you were haunting my dreams." Kane told him on a breathy sigh. "Do I haunt yours?"

"Not my dreams," He answered, pulling away to see that the love bite had taken. "But a significant amount of my thoughts."

"Just for clarification…" In another smooth move, Kane had Cisco on his back and straddled his waist. "We are doing this, right? Us?"

"Yes. We are doing this." Cisco reached up to cradle her face. "You're aware that we have a ship-name right."

"Kaneco. I meant to kick Barry's ass for that."

"I assign the names around here but…every so often he has a pretty dope one stored up." Cisco allowed, trading her face hold on her hips as she peppered his neck with kisses. "I have one for you."

Kane pulled away far enough that he could read the confusion in her eyes.

"It's already in the papers. My name is Mother Nature."

"Your _name_ is Nimbus." Cisco sat up, wrapping his arms around her tiny frame. "Think of it as rebranding."

"Nimbus." Kane repeated, testing the weight of the name on her tongue. "A large storm cloud. Fitting."

"It's also a halo. You had a halo after the first time you absorbed energy." He gnawed on his bottom lip as he watched her think. "But you cant see it until I'm done."

"See what?" Kane asked, wrapping her arms around his shoulders absently.

"You didn't think I was gonna let you fight crime in a hoodie and jeans, Did you?" Cisco asked, earning her full attention.

"Wanna dress me up, Cisco?" Kane purred, her green eyes glinting with mischief. "I figured you would be more interested in undressing me."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

Depending on who you asked, there were a lot of words to describe me. A laundry list of things that I identified with. Broody, menacing, strong, clever and intense just to name some of my personal favorites.

Speechless was not on the list.

However, there was a first time for everything. But as I held onto Cisco tablet and checked out the digital outline of the suit the genius was building. The design was simple: pants that gave away to mid-calf boots, a wide waist belt with a 'N' buckle. I had worn a prototype of the vest and gloves before seeing this sketch. The finished version of the vest had a band collar and cuff sleeves while the finished gloves would be long enough to circle my bicep. Most of all, I was surprised by the face mask that would obscure my t-zone and cheeks without blocking my eyesight.

"If you don't like it we can work on the design." Cisco offered, taking my silence as a negative.

"I have a supersuit." I said once I finally found words. " I have a supersuit."

"Not just any supersuit. Check it." Cisco tapped a couple of times on the tablet until the image isolated into different parts. Waist down. Waist up, and the mask. "This suit is tailored specifically to you."

"How?"

"I complied data files from your various fights, analyzed your physical aspects and the metaphysical ones too. From that data I decided that you need a suit that would make you more aerodynamic that your street clothes but also something that could take the punishment." Cisco selected the image of the boots. "The boots are similar to the ones you love so much right now. Thicker soles and lower heels for better balance. You tend to kick a lot and use your feet as a grounding mechanism while you manipulate the wind. So I had these boots lace up much higher for even more stabilization."

"What about the body of the suit?"

"This were it gets really cool. It's a combination of the Flash Suit and a suit I made for an ex-assassin that calls herself the White Canary. A reinforced tripolymer that is heat and abrasive resistant so that it can withstand you moving through wind currents, absorbing energy and that Darth Sidious impression you got. Plus, Double weaved Kevlar that that can all the punishment you dish out while being bulletproof. Not to mention small to mid-range knife-proof." Cisco double tapped to enlarge the picture of the mask. "I know you're fond of the hood put I thought that keeping with an aerodynamic design…You would benefit from a mask pulled from the design of motorcycle googles."

I closed my eyes and pictured it. I pictured myself in the suit. Beside the Flash, Beside the CCPD. A role model.

So, I traded my hold on the tablet for a hold on Cisco's face. Putting my lips against his chillingly warm ones, I kissed him slowly and deeply. Stealing his breath, making it count, trying to transmit everything I was feeling through the kiss alone.

"Not complaining. Absolutely not complaining." Cisco insisted when I pulled away. "But what was that for?"

Perhaps Cisco needed to hear it.

"This. Is. Amazing. You are amazing. All this work that you've done…for me." I pecked his lips once more. "I see it now. This is my redemption. This is how I tip the scales. Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Cisco smiled, his cheeks warming under my hands. "Just live up to your middle name."

This onyx eyes flickered with…something I couldn't name. Or Rather, that I wouldn't name. The look in his eyes reminded me of a conversation I had with my mom years ago. When I asked her how she knew that Dad loved her. She said that it was all right there…in his expressive eyes. That love rolled in his eyes like the dark thunderclouds just before a big storm. I had never understood all of that. How could you see all of that just in someone's eyes? Yet, as I peered into the pits of Cisco irises…I wondered if the brewing was the same.

 _Whoa there girl_! I reprimanded myself mentally _. Too much hope, too fast…don't ya think_?

A super obnoxious trilling that broke the two of us out of the intense moment. Cisco reached back and grabbed his phone from the charging station on his nightstand.

"It's Barry." He acknowledged before answering. "Hey, man…yeah, how did you know?"

Cisco turned to me, mouthing ' _the jig us up!'_.

"Yeah, she's with me." Cisco hummed, eyes lightening up as Barry talked quickly into the phone. "Seriously, man. Did Joe hear any…"

"What is it?" I prodded into the conversation.

"What bad news?" Cisco's voice turned anxious as the hero chatted on. "Oh, ok. Got it. Meet you there."

"What was that all about?" I asked the genius as he ended the call.

Cisco's response was to slide his hands onto either side of my jaw, catching my lips in a slow kiss.

"It worked." He yipped as he let me breathe. "Abe just turned himself into CCPD."

"Seriously." My heart hammed with excitement as the tension in my shoulders released. Abe was finally out of my life. "I wasn't sure it would work."

"Joe has an unbaised friend in the DA's office and she said that everything looks good." Cisco started to slide off of the bed. "But there is the bad news..."

"Just another day in Central City."

"…which we have to go to STAR Labs to find out."

I groaned, tossing myself off of Cisco's warm bed. The genius was muttering something about being hungry enough to steal Caitlin's Pizza Pockets before sighing and acknowledging that it would probably only lead to certain death. Stifling a chuckle, I jumped into yesterday's jeans but had no recollection of yesterday's shirt. Turning in a small circle, I paused, my eyes greedily drinking in his smooth honey brown skin and the wisps of dark hair that decorated his lower waist. Black pajama pants hung loosely off of his naturally tapered waist and down to his sturdy hips.

How dare he hide all of that under graphic t-shirts and baggy jeans? Crimes against mankind, I tell you.

"What?" He asked, self-conscious after catching my ogling. He really had no idea just how handsome he was.

"I like looking at you. A lot." I smiled, pulling the Dr. Who hoodie hanging off the chair in his room. Enjoying the look in his eyes as I zipped it closed. "I'll make breakfast, you dress."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

"Superfriends." I greeted as I rounded the entryway, taking a sip of my coffee. "Just how bad is this bad news."

Team Flash had gathered around the Cortex in the various conversations with one another…which immediately stopped. Only followed my knowing smirks and raised eyebrows.

"Is that Coffee?" Dr. Snow was the first to break the silence. She clacked over to me and removed the cup, ignoring my growl of disapproval. "I told you. Switch to tea."

"Is that supposed to be an…everyday thing."

"Is that Cisco's hoodie?" Iris checked with a teasing lift to her voice. Four pairs of eyes switched from me to the genius.

"Uh, I…I…" Cisco stumbled over his words. "I thought we were supposed to be hearing some bad news."

"I analyzed a read out of your vitals after the fight yesterday and found that your heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels spiked before leveling off as you fell unconscious." Caitlin kicked on to doctor mode, pointing at the data on the screens. "The same vitals rose when you absorbed a lightning bolt from Barry."

"So I absorbed energy and fall unconscious." I summarized. "Seems counterproductive."

"No this is different. There is almost a seventy percent distinction." Barry announced.

"And that is without the vest." Cisco hummed.

"Because the energy came in contact with her skin, slicing through her." Dr. Wells sipped on his coffee as he spoke. "That upped your absorption factor problem."

"Problem. Now that word I understand." Joe uttered.

"How is this a problem? Or Bad News for that matter?" I scoffed. "We just found out that the blue flame is energy. I can clearly absorb energy with or without the vest. I get enough and its Bye-bye bad guy."

The group exchanged a set of glances. I was clearly missing a big part of the story.

"Okay, Superfriends." I bounced on my toes. "From the top."

"Kane when you absorbed the bolt from Barry there was a small spike in your vitals. Like a child on a sugar rush before you went unconscious for less than fifteen seconds. We had assumed that Cisco's vest must have caused that." Cait started to explain slowly. "However, you fought Thawne in just street clothes and his flame sliced through you. At that moment you absorbed enough energy to overload your brain and send you unconscious for an hour and ten minutes. I think we have been underestimating your ability."

"So this whole absorption thing keeps overloading my brain." I looked around the group. "It could kill me."

"We don't know that." Barry and Cisco said at the same time. Barry continued, "It might just knock you out."

"I want to run some more test." Caitlin assured.

"I'm going to re-task the vest to block a large percentage of the energy you can absorb." Dr. Wells claimed as he turned the corner. Cisco was already bounding after him.

"Harry don't you touch my suit!"

"Ok well my Dad and I are going to combine our respective skills and find out more about Thawne." Iris declared, reaching for a kiss from Barry.

"And the two of us." Barry pointed to me. "Need to figure out if this absorption factor can be controlled."

"Barry, I didn't even know it was happening this time. So understand when I promise you that…"

"Short-stuff," Barry interrupted, that smug grin on his face. "Nothing is promised except for death."

"Oh, now you're a Kayne West fan?" I mock punched him in the shoulder. "I think you just like getting your ass kicked, Hero."

"You two can fight after…" Caitlin started firmly. "…I finish my test. I need her energy levels as of now."

Wagging my brows at the speedster, I followed Caitlin into the Med Bay. I jumped onto the examination table as she wordlessly, meticulously started hooking up sensors to me. I was accustomed to this by now…the silent way she worked, the gentle prodding, her chilly skin against my own.

So as Dr. Snow studied her read outs, I let myself drift to this morning. Feeling as though I had been drugged, I came dangerously close to harming Cisco. He hadn't cared a bit…literally kissing my fears away. It seemed like only seconds later I was removing the shirt I had borrowed because I needed him closer. It had been two years since I had allowed a touch equal parts intimate and intense. But as I shared breath with him and tried to pull him under my skin, with words tumbling right from my thoughts to his lips…I knew it without a shadow of doubt. I had never truly allowed myself to relax with another person. How did he have that type of power over me.

I shivered. God, we hadn't even made it past second base.

"So. You stood me up this morning because you were with Cisco." Dr. Snow accused.

"Sorry, I would have still met you at the hanger but I overslept."

"You overslept." She tested my pulse and quirked a brow. "Did you and Cisco...?"

"Caitlin!" I scoffed. Hand to my chest in mock scandal.

"Well, I am a doctor." She smiled almost sneakily.

"Don't make this a thing, Frosty."

"Don't make it a thing?!" My doctor squealed, as she studied more read outs and took notes. "This. Is. Huge. So are you two together or did you just…"

"Good God, I'm rubbing off on you!" I balked. "As of last night we are dating. I never wanna hear you say anything suggestive ever again."

Caitlin hummed and fished her cell phone out of her coat.

"And just who are you texting?"

"It's a groupchat, actually. Me, Barry, and the west siblings." She corrected without looking away from the screen. "I won the Kaneco over/under."

"Excuse me?" I snatched away from her probing at the place were my shoulder split. "Traitor."

"hmm think of it as friendly competition. I gave you until the end of today." Tajsa paused and laughed when her phone tinged with an incoming message. "But Barry started it."

When I got my hands on Barry Allen I was going to…

"So just out of curiosity. Are you two counting that as your first date?"

"Is there a side bet? Like about our first date or something?"

"Maybe." Caitlin wagged her eyebrows at me.

"Okay, Cisco and I are not a game or a reality show you can bet on." I started to rant but whipped around as I sensed Barry entering the room. "And so help me Barry Allen If I hear one more thing about you instigating something like this!"

"Me?" Barry scoffed, the tips of his ears going red. He balanced a small box, his phone and a coffee as he defended. "In my defense, I am just thinking about what would make my two friends happy."

"Kicking your ass will make me happy, Barry Allen." I growled.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say that you are embarrassed." Caitlin chuckled, forcing me to lay back on her table and unzipping the hoodie completely and listening to my lungs. "Just according to your heart rate."

 _Traitor_.

"What's in the box, Barry?" I asked, trying to take the focus off of all this Kaneco business.

"I actually don't know." He looked down at the box again. "A mail service just brought it and there must be some mistake. It's addressed to a Kay Monroe…"

"Kay Monroe?" Caitlin chewed on her lip in thought. "I don't recognize that name. Perhaps if you ask Cisco."

"He doesn't need to." I interrupted, resisting the urge to groan aloud.

 _Shit. If it wasn't one thing, it was another._

I pulled myself off of the table and yanked the box from the speedster's hands. He backed away awkwardly at my unzipped hoodie.

"It's me."

"You?" Barry questioned. "Why do you have an alias?"

"How else was I going to buy alcohol for my friends or sneak into nightclubs at sixteen?" I turned the box over, over, and over a third time. There was no sender on the package. "I haven't used this name since I turned 21."

"Not even to get your apartment?"

"Barry, when you pay rent in cash they don't ask for identification." I shook the package and the object inside jingled with metallic rumblings. "I didn't order this."

"Who knows about the Alias."

"A few people I used to run around with before I dropped out of college." I folded my arms as a chill ran down my spine. "And all of those people should think that I'm dead."

"I guess…" Barry plucked the little box out of my hands. "There is one way to find out."

He ripped off the top of the box and poured out a folded piece of paper along with two tiny objects. It took a second for me to realize that the sharp intake of breath was my own. I would have fainted if I hadn't been sitting. It was rose gold with a gently cut diamond that caught in the light of the Cortex. A matching band of rose gold sat in his palm. If I looked, the word 'nine' would be inscribed on the inside.

Two rings. My parent's weddings rings.

With slightly shaky fingers, I opened up the little note. Abe's neat cursive scrawled across the page.

 _My dear Kane, you make me proud with your… determination. One last deal? Turn yourself over to the CCPD for the murder of that child or I give a name to Thawne._

 _Barry Allen._


	16. You picked the wrong side, beautiful

A/N: Hey Everybody! I'm sorry that it has been this long between updates. Really, I am. The responds to last chapter were amazing. Thank you all for Following, Favoriting, and reviewing my story. It means the world to me. This chapter serves to move the plot along as Part the Clouds will wrap up in about two chapters. I am considering doing a series of Kaneco following the conclusion. Let me know if you dig that chapter.

-Lex

You know what's not cool. Learning that your new girlfriend could die by her own powers. Then you becoming responsible for the suit that would protect her from herself…Also, not cool.

And to top it all off, Harry's lecturing was absolutely not cool.

"Hey Beautiful Mind, would you mind shutting up?" Cisco tsked. "Trying to create new tech over here."

"You haven't been listening to anything I have said." Harry smacked his hand against the work table.

"To reiterate, trying to create new tech."

"Kane." Harry banged a screw driver against the table this time. "Do you really think you can trust her."

"Yes," The genius answered without hesitation.

"She keeps secrets Ramon." Harry furthered his argument. "Have you ever noticed that we only receive bits of her story at a time…and only as she sees relevant."

"Do we not deal with the same from you?" Cisco looked away from his tech only to edit the schematics. "The team trust you."

"Which if you remember did not work out very well at first."

"Ah, guys we need you up in the cortex." Caitlin's voice sounded. "Now."

"Listen, Kane isn't keeping some big secret from us. Her motivations are clear: she wants a cure for her sister, redemption and her life back." Cisco insisted. "She just has things in her past that she isn't over yet. How can you expect her to share that with us?"

"Does she at least plan on sharing it with you?"

"When she is good and ready. Why are you being such a dick about this?" the genius asked. "Do you really not trust her that much?"

"Perhaps I am underestimating her loyalty. But let me ask you this, Ramon." Harry clamped a hand down on Cisco's shoulder. "Is she fit to enter a relationship with you if she is still putting her life back together?"

That took Cisco back a step. We're they…rushing into this?

"This is my fault." Kane was announcing, absently twirling two rings between her fingers as the two men entered the Cortex.

"Kane, don't…" Barry started but Kane's dangerous glare stopped him for a second. "Kane you aren't a killer anymore because you accepted an official place on this team and this team doesn't kill. Less than 24 hours ago you agreed that killing Abe would just finish eating at your soul. Are you really ready to trade your soul because Abe threatened to give my name to a bad guy."

"It's not that simple Barry! It's not just your name. You're the Flash. The city needs you!" Cisco's new girlfriend argued, taking a deep breath and modulating her voice. "If I let Abe tell your secret I don't deserve to be here and I wont put you in jeopardy."

"Huh, Wow." Barry huffed, rubbing the pack of his neck as he looked at Caitlin. "That is almost verbatim what Cisco said when he wanted to leave the team."

"Don't." Kane warned, a harder edge to her voice than usual. "Don't bring Cisco into this."

"Too late." The man in question made himself known. Kane looked longingly in his direction as if she wanted to reach over an touch him. "And that is exactly what I said to them."

"What's going on here?" Harry asked the important question.

"Kane, thinks we're going to let her go to prison." Barry scoffed at the mere notion.

"Watch your tone, Hero. Nobody 'lets' me do anything." Kane growled, bristling as a display of anger but the genius knew better. Anger wasn't the only thing rolling off her…anxiety and exhaustion. "If I did choose to take one for the team then that would be my decision!"

"A decision that you would be making for all of us at the end of the day." Barry shot back.

"So you're the only one…" Kane glared at the speedster started but Cisco took a step between her and Barry.

"Whoa! While I Do love to see a good fight between the two of you…" The genius interrupted. "What the hell is going on?"

"A package came today for a Kay Monroe, which is the alias I used years ago."

"What did you receive?" Harry's eyes narrowed.

"My parents wedding bands and a note from Abe." Kane tossed the note to right into Cisco's waiting hands.

 _My dear Kane, you make me proud with your…determination. One last deal? Turn yourself over to the CCPD for the number of that child or I give a name to Thawne. Barry Allen._

"Okay so a couple of questions…" Cisco folded the note neatly. "A-how does Abe know who the Flash is? B-What does he mean by deal?"

"This is what I mean when I said she was keeping secrets." Harry rasped, dark eyes on Kane.

"I'm not keeping secrets! I didn't tell Abe anything and I didn't even know that the Kay Monroe thing was relevant." She took another deep breath and tossed her wild curls out of her face. "Ok, Superfriends, let's start from the top."

"Abe wants you to turn yourself over to the police or he will tell Thawne who the Flash really is." Barry summed up, squirming on his feet.

"He is bluffing." Kane claimed, her fingers drumming on her hip.

"How can you be sure?" Caitlin questioned.

"I'm not Dr. Snow but I'm sure that Abe isn't going to tell Thawne who the Flash is. He doenst get anything out of that."

"He gets you." Cisco disagreed. "He gets to lock you up."

"But where is the fun in that?" Kane sighed, voice low enough that the question had to be retortical.

"Kane, you know Abe." Caitlin insisted. "If you think he is bluffing then what does he want?"

Kane's green eyes looked up into Cisco's…holding his gaze for a moment. Accusation clear in her depths. Did she think he was doubting her again?

"So that nobody thinks I'm keeping secrets…full disclosure. When I moved back into the City the first thing I did was try to find my sister. Snuck into the house, Tajsa wasn't there but Abe was. We struck a deal where he gave me money and I made no contact with my sister."

"Why would you do that?" Harry folded his arms impatiently.

"Relax, Harry." Barry ordered.

"Because my sister thought I was dead. Because I was a monster. Take your pick!" Kane rocked onto the heels of her feet. "Fast-forward. Abe starts using Tajsa to manipulate me into doing those jobs for him. The ones that caused you all to get after me. Abe wants something else and he knew that he couldn't use Tajsa anymore. So, he pulled a bigger gun."

"We need a plan." Cisco stated the obvious. "And don't say that the plan involves you going to jail."

"What if it does? Abe is being held down at the police station on main. What if Kane goes down there and turns herself in."

"No." Barry and Cisco voiced together.

"Wells is right." Kane insisted, her eyes going wide but her voce flat and detached. "I can get down there and talk to Abe…see what he wants from me."

"Kane wouldn't be alone. You can tap into the security feeds while Joe and Barry are at the police station." Caitlin reasoned.

"Just as an aside," Kane raised her hand like a schoolgirl. "I can take Abe if he gets frisky."

"They will suspend your powers at the station." Wells the third reminded.

"Amending the previous statement. I can absolutely take Abe should he get frisky…With or without my powers."

"Noted." Cisco smirked as went to the computers. He didn't like this plan. "The station has a surprising sophisticated system that will take me about thirty minutes to hack into. Which leaves you with plenty of time to meditate on how you aren't gonna..."

"Scouts honor, guys." Kane put up the necessary fingers. "I'm not gonna kill Abe."

"I highly doubt you were ever a girl scout." Caitlin mocked.

Cisco expected Kane to reply with some smartass comment but…she didn't. Biting along her bottom lip, Kane strolled out of the Cortex with her hips stiff and her back rod straight. The team exchanged another one of their collective 'damn' looks. They had all been in a situation that endangered the Flash Secret ID and Cisco knew first hand just how hard it was.

"I got this one." He promised the Speedster just as Barry made to follow Kane.

He walked the hallways and climbed the steps that would lead him to the roof…it was Kane's thing. He wouldn't pretend to understand it. Cisco never liked roofs, fear of falling and all of that. But Kane was standing there fearlessly looking over the side of the wall and onto the street.

"Hey, You know you don't have to do this. We can find another way." Cisco started but Kane didn't turn around.

"No, there isn't." Her voice was tight and trembled slightly at the very end.

Cisco crept closer to read the vibrations falling off her body. Anxiety, exhaustion, anger and something else that she was trying very hard to push down. Was she…

"Are you scared?" Cisco asked, prompting Kane to shift further away from him as he reached out.

"Im not afraid of cops, Cisco." She snapped with her arms folding tightly across her chest.

"But of prison?" He guessed but his girlfriend still shut him out. "One of my first Vibes about you, the one where you used the Thunderclap…We had locked you in cell inside of the pipeline. You screamed at Barry to let you out, you punched the glass and paced like an agitated cat. I thought you were just angry but it's more than that…isn't it."

Kane's green eyes flashed up to his own and Cisco hated what he saw. Her irises were cold and detached as if her subconscious was miles and miles away from him. Her huge pupils seemed hollow and pale as if ghost were playing hide and seek in her mind.

"Talk to me." He commanded, finally able to pull Kane closer to him.

"These is a basement in Abe's house that we would refer to as the den. He had to turned into a tv-playroom double when my sister and I moved in. And in that room, was a tiny, tiny closet. We could barely fit our board games in that thing." Kane took a deep breath, looking down to the street again. "It was so long ago. It really doesn't matter and I don't wanna talk about it."

"IT matters to me." Cisco insisted, trying to regain her attention. "It might have been a long time ago but it is still apart of you."

"One day a stray cat got into the house. Tajsa found it before I did and she was chasing it around. I started chasing my sister and I wasn't always the well-coordinated girl you see before you and I slammed into the counter. Taking a crystal bowl and a few wine glasses down.

"So…youre telling that you _weren'_ t born a ninja?" Cisco joked, smirking proudly when Kane cracked a smile and met his eyes.

"Nope, I had to learn. Just like everybody else." Kane took an experimental step closer, relaxing slightly as Cisco's hands slid around her waist. "Abe came home about a half of a second later and he was…pissed. He slapped me so hard that I saw stars for a couple of seconds until I realized he was dragging me down to the den by my curls. I remember crying and begging him to let me go but he just ignored me. Abe threw me into the tiny closet, shut the door and pushed my favorite arm chair in front of it. He told that I was going to 'sit down and shut up'. I was in there for hours and that was only the first time."

"Kane…" Cisco gasped, unable to find the words. There were no words to mend that kind of scars.

"I. hate. Cages." She all but growled. "I was locked in that closet at least twice a month. And I was in an ARGUS cage every day. Sometimes chained up like a beast until Waller could have her boys sedate me. I know this isn't going to be nearly the same but I just…"

"I'm not letting them put you in Iron Heights, okay. I'm not." Cisco announced, knowing what that could do to Kane. "You are never going through that again."

"I cant let Abe tell Thawne who the Flash is. Central City needs the Flash." Kane shot back, the determined look back in her green eyes.

"What about what you need?" Cisco asked, holding her jaw in his palms.

"I'm not telling the Team about this, Cisco." Kane reached up to hold his wrist. "I don't want them to know about everything that happened to me."

"Then we wont." Cisco pecked her lips, once…twice and three times. "But we are not letting you go to Iron Heights. I will Vibe you right out of there if I have to."

Kane searched his eye for a few seconds before emitting a heavy sigh and relaxing into him. Her chest pressed into his while her arms pulled tightly around his neck.

"If we win today…" Kane started shyly. "Do you want to go out with me?"

Cisco pulled away in shock. How did winning today have any effect on how much he wanted to go out with her.

"Seriously?" he checked.

"I mean we said that we are doing this, right?" Kane looked down in disappointment. "We should at least go on a date."

Cisco angled her face back and placed a kiss on her forehead. He couldn't keep his hands…or lips off this woman.

"To clarify, the 'seriously?' was because I was surprised that you think us winning today has _anythang-tuh-do_ with how much I wanna go out with you."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

It's almost funny.

When I got myself arrested for the first time…it was the most terrible thing I had ever experienced. I was a bartender at a club called Triple C's. You know, the one with the red doors that had choreographed dancers on the bar once an hour. I was preforming that night to some Sean Paul song that I could hardly hear over the excitement of the crowd. During the second verse I saw a woman slipping a pill into the drink of a young man that was enjoying the show. One thing turned into the second thing and before long I had broken her jaw, red my rights, and locking into a holding cell until my boss came to spring me in the morning.

I had sworn in that moment…I was never getting arrested again.

Did it count as being arrested if you turn yourself in?

So here I was…on the third floor of the main police station.

"Excuse me," I started at the receptionist cop.

"Sweetheart, I'm doing five things at once. Be a doll and wait a while." Said man who was clearly far too overweight to wear the uniform before turning his attention back to the computer screen.

"Yo, Pig!" I growled. "You all still looking for Mother Nature? I'm trying to turn myself in."

"You are Mother Nature?" He looked at me with a quirked eyebrow and careful consideration. "You sure don't match our eyewitness description."

"What?"

"Eyewitnesses gave the description of a woman of at least 5 foot 7, Latina and around 160 pounds." He tapped the wanted poster that didn't look anything like me. "As of late we have been receiving a number of false reports. Transit women, in particular…"

Now, I was pissed.

"Whoa, wait a minute." I whooped loud enough for the entire station to hear. "I tell you that I am the Meta that you've been looking for and you think that I'm a homeless woman turning up here for the fun of it! You know, this is just one of the many problems with the criminal justice system. But this is my fault! Some people just learn better through show rather than tell!"

"Now you wait just a…"

"I'm sorry this is a demonstration. It's rude to interrupt."

The team has suggested that I go with a subtle entry but…I already didn't want to be here. Why not let off some steam…well it was smoke in my case. Smoke was already swirling in my hands as I kicked out a side panel of the desk. It slammed to the floor with a satisfying _crash_ of books, papers and a desktop computer and the gasp of police and citizens alike mixed in with the noise. Before the cop could regain his composure… I swept the clutter from the desk into the air with a gust of smoke and redirected it through a panel window that separated us from an office.

"Hold your fire!" I hear Joe shout out into the station.

Turning on my heels, I faced the group of cops that were pointing their guns directly at my chest. It made me want to roll my eyes. Sure, that wasn't exactly subtle but hardly dramatic. They knew I could do much, much more damage.

"My name is Kay Monroe and I'm turning myself in for the murder of Phillip King." I told all the cops pointing guns at me. The team and I had decided on using the alias. "Are there any more questions you wanna ask."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

Apparently, there were a lot of questions that were going to be asked. I was shuffled into a stuffy looking interrogation room to wait some higher-than-thou cop to annoy the hell out of me. The door creaked open to reveal someone I wasn't expecting… yet.

"Kane," Abe acknowledged as he sat in the wooden chair across from me. A smug grin on his face and his wrist free of cuffs. He considered me for a moment before speaking. "The Power damping cuffs…grey is not your color."

"And prison garb doesn't flatter my figure." I tapped on the steel table with my knuckle, getting the guard cop's attention. "So…"

"I'm getting coffee, Would you like a cup." Abe smirked, waving off the officer.

"I'll pass."

"I heard about your little display out there." My foster Father laughed as he poured the coffee. "You have always had a touch for the dramatic. You should have allowed me to keep paying for those acting classes. Could have made something of yourself."

"Dramatic? What about you?" I scoffed. "Sending my parents weddings rings. That was a low blow, even for you. Which brings me back full circle. What do you want?"

"For you to go to Iron Heights." Abe sat down again and took a long drink. "And do what you tried to do at Belle Reve."

Admittedly, that caught me off guard. He couldn't possibly be talking about…I blinked one, twice…

"No." I answered.

"No?" Abe checked.

My eyes flicked up to the small camera in the room. Cisco had hacked the police station camera and general tech to keep a close watch on me. I could almost hear the superfriends asking for information… afraid that this was just another secret I was keeping from them. They were partically correct, I had secrets. A lot of secrets: about my time at ARGUS, about afterword. But I told Cisco that I would tell him everything. And I meant _everything_.

"Deadshot, Cupid and I tried to break all the inmates out of the ARGUS holding facility." I said aloud for the teams benefit. "Tried and failed Abe. What makes you think I could break out all the inmates in Iron Heights?"

"Not all of the inmates. Just the ones on the Metahuman wing." He corrected. "And this time will be different. Not only is this a less secure facility…You'll have the cooperation of four guards."

"Still, no." I leaned back in my chair to better regard him. "I free all of the Metas and then what happens? They destroy the city!"

"If you don't then I'll tell Thawne who the Flash really is."

Talk about a rock and a hard place.

"I don't understand Abe." I sighed, slightly upset that the cuffs wouldn't allow me to fold my arms. "How is releasing all the Metas part of Thawne's big plan to take over the city and get revenge on Flash? What's he gonna do…tire the poor bastard out?"

"See that. That right there is why you will always be a henchman and never the boss. You think to…linear." Abe tsked. "What does Thawne want? What is the objective?"

"To take Over the City because he thinks Flash killed his cop brother."

"Your time with Central City's Hero has made you softer than I imagined." Abe turned his full attention to me, blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "You can do better than that."

My teeth ground as Abe's eyes probed at me. There was something that I was missing…something obvious. Something the only the darkest part of myself would see.

"It's too easy just to kill the Flash. He needs to suffer. He needs to feel the pain that Thawne felt when he learned of his brother's death. Pain pays for pain. Life pays for life." I thought aloud, the part of myself still too easy to tap into.

"Biblical isn't it. An eye for an eye. Only problem is…he doesn't know who is important to the Flash, yet." Abe leaned back comfortably in his chair. "Well, Thawne could always go around killing people. That'll get his attention."

"Inefficient." I answered because I was in full villain mode apparently.

"There is my girl." The man smiled. "So if you cant take his heart..."

"…Then you take his mind." I finished the old saying Abe used to grumble. "The Flash is a hero and What is a hero without anyone to save."

"Now you've got it." Abe smoothed a hand down his shirt. "Well, almost. You left out the part where I get sent off to Prison in Coast City and escape the terror."

"Abe why are you even involved in this?"

"Simple, because of people like you. These Metahumans…nothing but a lot of super-charged menaces. The entire lot of you." Abe sneered. "Well, except for that Bar…"

"Don't push your luck Abe."

"Please," He scoffed, taking a drink from his cup. "If you wanted me dead then I would be dead."

"I think you ought to worry about why I'm allowing you to live."

Abe paused at that, his entire body going stiff until he recovered with a hard blink.

"Then you force my hand, Kane." My foster father replied, lifting himself from the chair. "You will die like the rest of them."

"Havent you heard…" I laughed, as he started his exit. "…I'm pretty hard to kill."

With a final glare at me, Abe slammed the interrogation door. I followed with slamming my head onto the tabletop. Freeing the metas from Iron Heights was something I could not do and I didn't doubt that the team would agree. But this was the extent of our plan, just getting me in to the station to talk with Abe. Now, I just had to wait.

The plan sucked, if you asked me.

The interrogation room door creaked open but I didn't bother to lift my head.

"I never thought I would say these words but can you take me to a cell please! I just want to entertain some silence." I groaned but the officer didn't say a word. After a few passing seconds, I looked up and caught a pair of chocolate brown eyes that I knew all too well. "Oh, fresh hell. This day just keeps getting better."

"They told me that a Kay Monroe was just arrested. That She confessed to being Mother Nature. I told them that they had to be wrong." Ricky said as he entered the room. Just as tall, dark and handsome as I remembered. I always told him that he looked like a clone of Will Smith from his younger days. He did deserve the nickname Pretty Ricky. "Because I helped carry Kane's casket over two years ago."

"Ricky." I started but huffed out a long breath. All this time and I still didn't know what to say to him. "I didn't know you knew about Kay Monroe."

"Of course I did! You're my…You were dead, Kane! Dead! How is this even possible? And now, Now you are one of these reckless metahumans that…"

"You were supposed to be out of town." I gritted through my teeth.

"You mean that note I got a couple of weeks ago." Ricky sat down in the chair across from me. His brown eyes much more shallow than Cisco's but the gaze just as strong. "The one that told me to get out of town and stay out of town. I ignored it. You know better than anybody that I don't run from a challenge. You…You were one of my favorite challenges."

This was not a part of the plan and I did not feel like improvising.

"Stop it, Ricky." I snapped. "I was bad for you and you know it."

"All I know is that I love you, Kane. I never stopped loving you." He confessed, reaching for my hand which I snatched away from him.

"Well, stop right now." I instructed with the most dangerous growl I could muster. "We weren't something that was meant to be Ricky. We just happened."

"Why are you being like this?"

Because, I _needed_ to hurt him. The last thing I needed was someone who loved the old me.

"Because, I am a criminal and a lair. I hurt people, I kill people and most of all I do whatever I want." I held his gaze. "If you knew what was good for you then you would forget about how much you loved me and get on with your life."

Ricky took a few seconds to chew over the words I spat at him.

"Yes, you are a criminal. You have always been. And Killing…You killed that boy in the park." He tapped along the table. Something he used to do while studying all those nights. "But a lair…intentionally hurting people. Now that isn't you."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want us!"

"That is not going to happen."

"Then I want you to explain."

I paused, knowing that I shouldn't explain anything to him. I should curse him out, yell at him, fight him. I should say something to hurt him. I needed to hurt him…badly. I needed Ricky to let me go and never look back. I needed him to course my name and regret ever knowing me. When he looked at me…Ricky still saw the Kane from years ago. I wasn't her and I wasn't going ever be. I wasn't going to love him. He needed to understand that.

But…when I looked at him I saw every word I said to him. Every promise I made. I made him feel everything he currently felt for me. My fault.

"The night of the explosion. I got hurt badly. I woke up at a place called ARGUS in one of their cages." I heard myself explaining. "They taught me to use my powers and then they made me use them to do some…pretty terrible things. Some things that I would not put on my resume and some more that changed me forever. After the program that was holding me was shut down and I was released I floated around until I came back to Central City."

"Why didn't you contact me?"

"Did you just miss everything I said?" I tsked, narrowing my eyes at my ex-boyfriend. "Coming to you would have been a very bad idea."

"So what? So you just come to town and pick a fight with Geomancer!" he spat. "More innocent people could have gotten hurt!"

"Killing him was an accident, Ricky! You know I would never hurt a child." I growled, Ricky deflated at my sincerity. "That entire day was an accident. I ran into another Meta and to make a long story short, he forced me."

"Even when you didn't have powers. No one forced you to do anything." My ex-boyfriend looked at me doubtfully.

"My friend calls it getting Whammied. The Meta…"

"So you have been here long enough to make friends."

"Ricky. If you want an explanation that I suggest that you shut the hell up." I huffed. "The Meta messed with my mind. He made me…more than angry. I got into it with the Earth-Bender and…things happened that I cant make right."

"Kane, that changes everything. We can talk to…" Rick shut up as I leveled him with a look.

"Rick," I squirmed in my chair. "Things aren't that…"

"Simple? It's never been simple with us."

Geez, was he this…annoying when we were together? I parted my lips to try and explain the finer points of 'leave me alone' but a scream cut my words off.

"Does that happen a lot in the police station?" I asked as three distinct pops sounded…Gunshots. "Oh! Sounds like the circus is in town."

"You stay here." He instructed as I moved to go to the door. "Dammit you still don't listen."

"Said I was different but not that different."

We crept out into the part of the hallway that overlooked the bottom floor but remained half hidden behind a pillar. Rick as waving away more people…silently asking them to get free of the danger. A half circle of people had formed around a man civilian that was holding a gun to a young man's head. Well, it was Evan Fox that was holding the gun to Barry Allen's head. It just had to be Barry, the fastest man alive, that got captured by Fox. I wasn't sure exactly _how_ that had happened but I was certain that this was shaping up as a bad day.

"Central City Police Department!" Evan roared, curling his fingers in the collar of Barry's shirt. "You are cordially invited to sit down and shut the hell up."

"What do you want, Blowtorch?" The Top Cop asked.

"Just looking to party, Pig."

"Rick!" I hissed, clipping his calf with my foot. "Take my power inhibiters off."

"No way in hell." He looked at me as if I had truly lost my mind.

"Have you seen what I did in the park? I can fight him."

"No."

I didn't have time for this, somebody was gonna get hurt. I need to get that gun off Barry so that the Flash could come save the day.

"Then just take the restraints off." I insisted. " I'll just improvise."

With a huff, Ricky dug a key out of his pocket and unlocked me. I knew I could take Evan without my powers…but it sure was gonna burn. I took a few light steps over into view and planted a smile on my face.

"Having a party without me? Shame Ev'. I thought you liked my party-favors." I called down as I descended the stairs. Barry shook his head slightly, pointedly looking at the power inhibitors.

Believe me, Barry. I knew…

"While you are…" Evan licked his lips. Gross. "…a walking party. I've made other friends."

One of the civilians stood, removing his high collared jacket. Tall, tan, and pretty damn handsome with a jaw that could cut glass. I had seen his pictures in the Meta files at STAR Labs. Weather Wizard…

"Who's the chick." He asked, taking a gun from one of the officers.

"The one I was telling you about."

"Uh, hear you're a girl after my own heart." The man made a tiny tornado in the palm of his hand. "We could be the perfect storm."

It was going to be difficult to fight someone with very similar powers…but not impossible.

"Youre handsome, but I'm gonna have to pass." I judged the distance between me and the guys…less than 8 feet. I had to Barry away from them. We could not get into a fire fight here. "Im taken."

"What you are is powerless." Evan laughed. "Those cuffs…"

"Wont stop me from kicking your ass." I crept a few inches closer.

"She doesn't like you but I like her." Weather Wizard sneered.

"Tell you what…let these people go and I'll go a few rounds with the both of you." I had closed over two feet while we chattered. Barry nodded out of the corner of my head, He was ready for whatever came next.

The two looked at each other wordlessly deliberating. I took my chance…one front flip landed me right in front of Evan and I used the momentum to grab his gun hand, thurst it upward and knock him off balance. The gun sounded with a _pop_ as I heard the remaining people scream and scramble out of the station. Weather Man blasted me off of my feet with…I'm pretty sure it was a snowball…and slammed me against a steel office desk. I knew I wouldn't find my footing with the snow melting, so I slid along the ice and kicked Wizard's legs away. He went down hard and with a satisfying groan. I had plans to climb on top of him before he could make any more precipitation but Evan wasn't having it. His large hand wrapped around my bicep, burning my skin as he threw me back.

"Ah, Dammit that hurts." I hissed through my teeth, knowing that if I stayed down that I was dead meat..

Ducking out of the beam of fire that Evan sent my way, rushing to engage him. Elbow to the stomach and dropping the same elbow on his back before he sent me to my back. I struggle under his weight, narrowly avoiding the burning hands that reached for my face. I got in another good swing before Evan grabbed both of my wrist and pinned them to the ground.

"You picked the wrong side, beautiful." Evan whispered just before he let my forearms ablaze.


	17. I'm an idiot

A/N: Hey everybody…how did you like the finale? I know I haven't said much about this Season but I've found a lot of it pretty dope. Killer Frost was good. Cisco's growth has been great. And Gypsy?! I love everything about her and their budding relationship. I know I said that this would wrap up into two chapters ( this and one after) but I wanna give myself enough room to pay off important things as well as give you a good story. So I'm doing this chapter and two following. Let me know if there are any specifics I need to pay off in the PTC Finale (lol). Let me know if you dig this chapter too.

-Lex

Fewer things hurt worse than a gunshot…but fire was absolutely one of those things. And Fox was currently burning the hell out of my forearms. The pain was clouding my thoughts as I struggled beneath Fox. I had to escape the Flames. I was stronger than him and a far better fighter. I could handle this…I could…I could feel my skin and muscle burning. The scream that built up in my throat morphed into a gasp of relief as Fox was whisked away in a gust of wind and a crack of lightening. I have never been so thankful for having a teammate.

"Oh my God, Kane." Flash gasped as he pulled me up by my shoulders. "Your arms…"

"I'll be fine. Just take these cuffs off me." I demanded through gritted teeth.

With a hesitant nod, Flash vibrated the cuffs until they unlocked. Power surged through me but did nothing to dull the pain.

"How about we switch dance partners?" I grunted as Flash slipped a com into my ear. "Just keep out of Fox's reach."

"Are you sure that you can…"

"Now, Flash!" I shoved him with one hand as I Blasted smoke at Weather Wizard's with the other.

He dodged the blast with an easy smile before producing a cloud and levitating up to the second floor. I blinked once, twice.

"Since when can Weather Wizard fly?" I asked the team.

"He isn't flying." Dr. Wells corrected. "He shift creating shifts in the barometric pressure of the air in comparison to his body…"

"English doc." I insisted, sending a stream of electricity up to the Wizard.

"He is manipulating air currents to move himself." Cisco shouted. " Kane, you should be able to do that too."

"You think I can fly?"

"Only one way to find out." Wells grumbled.

I gripped onto the currents around me, felling them out like ribbons of different textures. I pulled on each ribbon, forcing them to swirl around my body. Faster and Faster it felt like I was in the eye of a mini tornado…then I jumped. The air propelled me up further and carried me right to the Wizard. I grabbed onto the hand rail and used my momentum to swing around, kicking him in the back with everything I had. Satisfyingly, he bellowed in pain as he fell over the ledge…creating a cloud to break his fall just seconds before he hit the ground.

"Game time is over, boys." I hissed down to Weather Wizard and Fox.

"She's right." Came a feminine voice, suddenly appearing with a hand on Wizards shoulder. I recognized her from the files…it was Peek-a-boo. "This isn't what we came for."

Flash was speed punching Fox but Peek-a boo was quick. She transported herself and Wizard over to the fight…just close enough that she could lay a hand on the small of Fox's back. In the next breath, all three were gone.

I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and slumped over the railing. Pain pulsated through my forearms and I gritted my teeth to it. Why was my chest so tight?

"They're gone." Cisco assured. "I cant find them on the cameras outside the precinct."

"What now?" I asked, barely registering that people were coming out of hiding. Chatter filling the building. "Why was that so damn easy?"

"We go back to the plan." Flash insisted. "Mother Nature still needs to disappear."

"The plan is done, Flash." I reminded.

Wells insisted. "We planned to make it appear as though Mother Nature disappeared in a puff of smoke. Caitlin is still outside the precinct with that car and Iris is still prepared to tweet out that you've left the city."

"Okay." I pulled myself to my feet and looked down at all the cops and civilian. They didn't need to see the fight to know that Mother Nature had fought beside the Flash. Gritting my teeth again, I trained my gaze on the Flash and glided down to the ground floor.

"Thank you," Flash said loud enough for everyone to hear in the vibrating voice. He strode over to me with his palm out. "You didn't have to fight with me and you did."

I made a show of looking and his hand before punching him in the jaw. Flash staggered back and looked at me in real surprise.

 _C'mon Barry. I've hit you way harder than that before._

"Ive thought it over and I don't want to turn myself in anymore. Playing a good guy sucks." I hissed at him, gesturing to my arms.

"Don't do this." Flash warned.

"Catch me if you can, speedster."

I threw up a wall of crackling smoke as I turned and rushed to the stairs…down a floor and right out of the back doors with Cisco guiding me through the building. Caitlin was waiting anxiously in the STAR Labs van I hopped in to.

"Those burns…"

"Drive, Snowflake!" I groaned

Things started passing in a huge blur then. Caitlin made a mad dash to STAR labs…She helped me into the elevator before handing me off to Wells and Cisco. I vaguely logged some gibberish about loss of blood, rapid pulse, low blood sugar and shock before Caitlin forced Cisco away from me and started sticking me with various needles. All I know is that I was freezing, like Caitlin had used her ice powers on me. I was also super dizzy. I grabbed on to Caitlin and begged her to stay still.

"Kane, I need you to lay down." She insisted as she put a pillow under my legs.

"No," I refused.

How could I lay down if the room was spinning? I would fall off the table.

"Cisco if youre gonna hover then you oversee her breathing." Caitlin shouted as she rubbed something on my arm that numbed the burning but made it tingle. "if you don't slow it down Kane is gonna pass out."

Was I breathing fast? I could hardly get air in my lungs.

"Kane, look at me." Cisco instructed, pulling my chin around to him. "I need you to match my breathing."

"I need to get up." I told him.

"No, all you need to do is keep your eyes on me."

Well, that was easy. I liked looking at Cisco.

"Now match my breathing." He demanded, drawing a slow breath in.

I matched him breath for breath, and blinking for blink. His rays of panic floated around in the back of his onyx eyes…hidden only by their depth. The room stopped spinning so fast and I became vaguely aware of Caitlin's cold fingers wrapping a bandage around my arm.

"Cisco," I called, gripping his wrist with my hand that wasn't numb. His palms were under my jaw and so warm. "I'm freezing."

"Blankets." Barry's voice called to us. When did he get here? A gust of wind and I felt myself being tucked in like a child.

"Eyes on me, Kane." Cisco reminded as Caitlin made my other arm go numb.

Once again, easy.

A few more minutes of breathing with Cisco passed before I started feeling normal. The superfriends let me sit up on my own but insisted that I kept the blanket around me.

"So that was big fun, Flash. We should do it again sometime." I mumbled. "We need to…"

"Not now, Kane. You need to rest." Barry commented.

"We'll talk about it now." I hissed. " I don't know if any of you noticed but I got burned up. Barry almost got a bullet to the face and Fox, Weather Wizard and Peek-a-boo were working together. We're losing."

"Nobody is keeping score, Kane." Barry corrected.

"Everybody keeps score Barry!" I climbed down from the table. "Good, Evil. Win, Lose."

"You know things aren't that simple."

"I never said it was simple." I took a deep breath and calmed myself. "I'm saying that we need to have a play ready."

"We will." Cisco promised, giving my waist a squeeze. "There is something you need to know about today."

I followed the rest of the team into the cortex where Wells was quickly writing on the whiteboard. He was jotting down what appeared to be a list of people on team evil. A team that was steadily growing. Cisco took a seat and clicked around on the computer until video footage from the police station appeared on the monitors.

"Sports Review?" I asked but the group ignored my comment.

"Peek-a-boo didn't just take Weather Wizard and Blowtorch. She also took Abe and Ricky Wolfe." Harry told us over his shoulder.

"What?"

"During the fight." Barry guestered to the video footage of the Meta disappearing with both men. "Damn, we were just a distraction."

"You turn yourself in, get the CCPD and worked up. Blowtorch and Weather Wizard come in like they wanna kick ass and take names." Cisco ran his fingers through his hair as he summarized "So during Fight Club…Abe and Ricky Wolfe vanishing into thin air via Peek-a-boo. Great."

"Dammit." I growled. "Ricky's dad is the Warden at Iron Heights. They have to be using him as leverage to enter the prison."

"What about that file that Kane gave us." Barry asked.

"Yeah so those files were giving me all kinds of Hell so I sent them to Felicity. Last night." Cisco sighed. "This morning she sends me back this. Says that she would have tried to crack it but she has to go to Russia with Oliver."

Cisco threw an image up of four lines made up of numbers, letters, and punctuation.

"Eight files of code turned into that?" Barry asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah someone worked over time to hide just this." Cisco noted. "Think it's a…"

"It's a code." I scoffed. I never thought I would have to see one of those again

"Right. Harry and I are assuming its some type of monoalphabetic code."

"Caesar Cipher?" Barry suggested.

"Nah," I moved closer to the board but stayed out Dr. Well's way as he jotted the code. My head was a little fuzzy but something about this code style looked… familiar. "Caesar Cipher is the easiest to crack. You wouldn't go through all that trouble just to have a Caesar Cipher."

"You know encryption?" Wells paused, barely asking over his shoulder.

"I worked with ARGUS intel for a while. Picked up a few things." I shook my head in attempt to clear the lasting fog. "Mono-code? Did you try Hydrate as the key word?"

"Hydrate doesn't work." Wells rumbled. "It's something else."

"I'm running an algorithm to break the code but…" Cisco bunched his face in frustration. "It could take a while."

"We don't have a while." I growled, the sound was weaker than normal. "We need to find Ricky."

"And Abe." Caitlin chimed.

"Abe can go to hell in a gasoline suit." I corrected, taking the seat beside Cisco.

There was no conversation about my statement but I could assume they disagreed. Barry mumbled something about needing to check in at CCPD and Caitlin claimed to have a few samples that needed running. Cisco enlisted Wells in his mission to find the whereabouts of this rogues gallery.

"I can help with that."

"Kane youre pale. You need to rest."

"I don't rest Wells. I need to find…"

"We will find Ricky," Cisco insisted earning my full attention. He squeezed my knee in comfort. "And you will help us. You might even have to go a get him out of the Belly of the Beast. But for all o that to happen…we need you at your best."

To be fair…I was exhausted. How had my great morning with Cisco turned into this?

"Fine." I accepted. "I need to go speak with my sister anyway."

"So I was thinking about dinner tonight." Cisco stopped me just before I rose from the chair. "…there is this awesome Thai place a few blocks from…"

"You're kidding right."

"I kid about a lot of things." Cisco assured. "Our first date is not one of those things."

I bit my lip to dial back a smile.

"We should find a better time. A lot is going on right now and I don't think I could…"

"Let me stop you right there." Cisco insisted, scooting his chair closer to me. "I have the code running through an algorithm as Harry does it the old-fashioned way. and everyone is working to find Thawne and Ricky Wolfe. Listen, If I learned anything from Barry and Iris it's that there will never be a good time for us. There will always be someone trying to take over the city. Or trying to Kill the Flash. We have to make time for us."

"Alright, genius." I breathed, still not completely convinced. " tonight…Im all yours.

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

"Kid West," I greeted, walking into Joe's house. Wally was sitting on the couch with his feet up on the table and thick school books around him.

"Hey Kane." Wally closed the book in his lap and stood. "I heard about the police station. Are you okay?"

"I've been better. I've been worse…now I just wanna see my sister."

"She's upstairs…reading, I think."

With a half-assed salute to Wally, I climbed the stairs and found Tajsa in Iris's old room. She was sitting at a large wooden desk, typing on her computer and striking the keys with a harsh _clack, clack, clack_ in very rapid secession. I stepped further into the room but Tajsa didn't even slow her typing…completely unaware, completely absorbed.

"You don't know if you someone is behind you? What have I taught you?" I asked and my sister startled in response.

"That people should make noise when they walk." Tajsa jumped up to wrap her arms around my waist. "OhmuhGod, why did you not tell me that I was staying in the house Iris West grew up in? Like… _the_ Iris West! She is legit the guiding light for the school newspaper! She like our Yoda!"

"Sorry," I chuckled, patting her curls. "I didn't know that Iris had a 'The' in front of her name. and just how many clubs are you in"

"Only four. Uh, what happened to your arms?" My sister asked as she backed away.

"Nothing." I hummed, moving to sit on the bed. "Whatcha doing?"

"I'm working on the MetaData Files." Tajsa explained, taking a seat again.

"MetaData. That is the Metahuman club that you are a part of…What files are you working on."

"You look tired." Tajsa noticed, completely forgetting about her work.

"I got in a pretty bad fight." I breathed. "Some injuries you have to rest from."

"Don't I know it." Tajsa chuckled as she rubbed at her temple.

"How are you doing…with everything."

"Fine."

"Taj'."

"I wanna hate him, Kane." She closed her eyes. "I wanna hate him like you do but…but I cant."

"Of course not. Because he is your father."

It was different for Tajsa, Always had been. Where Abe and I were…us, he was outwardly different with Tajsa. More patient while being distant. More understanding while maintaining his unapproachable air. It would be lying if I claimed to not be slightly jealous of that relationship growing up…but I quickly grew out of that. I would take the abuse if it meant he wouldn't harm my sister.

"He isn't my father." Tajsa shook her head. "Not after all he has done to you. What kind of sister would I be?"

"Kid," I breathed. "I'm not gonna tell you to love him. Hell, I wont tell you to hate him. It's complicated. But I'll tell you this. Anything and everything you feel is valid. Don't ty to force yourself into one or the other."

"Maybe we can talk more about it later."

"Tajsa?" I called in warning as her face scrunched in pain. I knew that look. "How bad is it? 1 to 10."

"Four." She answered automatically before locking eyes with me, her breathing labored. "Okay, Like an…8."

"Tajsa, come lay down. When was the last time you took your medication? Did you take any today?"

"No, I wanted to see just how long that shot Dr. Snow gave me would last." She explained as she climbed onto Iris's bed…swaying a bit in the process.

"Tajsa it isn't a shot for pain…think of it like antibiotics. You gotta finish the entire trial. One shot a week." I went over to the vanity table and picked up Tajsa's pill organizer. The thing had been my idea when she became older enough to take the meds herself. I brought the container over and my sister quickly chose the slot for today…dry swallowing four out of five different medications. "You didn't…"

"Thats the narcotic and I don't wanna go to sleep."

"You need to sleep."

"Only if you do." Tajsa's buried her face in the pillow and groaned. "You look like shit, sis."

"Hey! Language, Kid." I scolded while climbing into the bed with her. Tajsa quickly adjusted, burrowing into my side like a cat.

Her phone beeped and she fished it out of her pocket. Tajsa read the screen for a second before throwing the device down.

"Trouble?"

"It's Shelton, president of the MetaData club. He wants me to ask Abe if we can use his Cabin up at the Lake for the retreat next week."

"Well, I could always break you into it. Or find the keys."

"Thanks but we couldn't even if we wanted to." Tajsa gumbled. "Abe has some business associate staying in the cabin until later this year. Abe complains because the man runs up the electricity bill."

An associate? That he is letting use his cabin? That doesn't sound like Abe.

"Kane?" She called. "I think there is something I need to tell you."

"I'm listening." I assured.

"You dying was hard on a lot of people." She started. "Especially me and Ricky."

She didn't have to tell me how hard this was for Ricky.

"We had a closed casket funeral. Abe said it was for the best since you had been in an accident. Ricky helped carry your casket at the burial site. I was…a mess. But Ricky subbed in for you. Like a big brother should." Tajsa told me. "He kept me from loosing it."

"What do you mean?"

"The first day back to school…I couldn't take it. I left Central Private and took a bus down town…"

"Taj!"

"I know I know but I couldn't just…sit in class while people looked at me with pity. I went to the place where you had the accident but it was crawling with Beat cops. Ricky as there." Tajsa laughed. "He put me in a squad car and lectured me the entire ride about how you would have had my head if I got into trouble. About how you would say that you were the trouble maker."

"I guess he did know me." I laughed.

"He knew you. He loved you…even though he knew you didn't love him back."

"He knew that?" I balked, bolting upright.

"Yeah, he thought that maybe you would love him back. I knew that wasn't going to happen."

"I was so full of…a lot of things back then. I never had any room to love him." I shook my head and laid back down.

"But it's different now." Tajsa leaned up on her arms. "I can feel it. It's different now with Cisco."

"Cisco and I are only trying this out." I corrected, but my stomach fluttered on his name. "It's complicated."

"Of course it is. Nothing is ever simple with you." She groaned. "Kane, don't you think there should be one thing that's simple. That you deserve something not complicated. Something just…normal."

I didn't respond immediately to that as I stored her words for later use.

"So youre telling me that Ricky was like your Big brother…this entire time."

"Kinda. I told him to back off some after a year but I still called him when…things got too much for me. When I missed you too much. Ricky sometimes brought over stuff you left at his place. Mostly clothes. Some sketch books. Hey do you still draw?"

"No."

"Kane, at some point you are gonna have to get back into normal life and start doing things you enjoy." Tajsa huffed. "Like drawing, and singing. Do you still do yoga?"

"You know what I want to do sis." I yawned. "I want to shut my eyes and have you wake me in no less than an hour."

"Youre still broody and anxious. But its different now. You aren't sad. You aren't angry. It always seemed like you were searching for something…something that you couldn't find. It feels like you found it."

I found a lot of things recently, which one had changed me the most. That was my last thought before I drifted into a blissfully silent nap. It was much, much later when the hairs on my neck started to raise. As if something was staring at me. I held my body steady and keep my breathing level…something I should have done this morning instead of lipping out on Cisco.

"Dr. Snow! Ms. West!" Tajsa greeted

"Hi Tajsa."

"Tajsa, I told you to call me Iris." Iris corrected my sister before dropping her voice down an octave. "Is she sleeping."

"No, Kane is a pretty light sleeper." Tajsa assured excitedly.

"Taj!" I grumbled, voice still rough with sleep. "Keep my secrets."

"C'mon Kane. Get up!" Caitlin wacked my thigh as she spoke. "You've got a date tonight. Arent you excited."

"You've got a date with Cisco tonight?!" Tajsa bounced the bed.

"Yes, I do. But I fail to see why a date tonight requires my attention now." I sighed while keeping my eyes closed.

"Are you gonna make her dress up?" Tajsa was vibrating with excitement now. "Kane that's so awesome! You haven't dressed up since your last pageant."

"Not even in high school?" Iris questioned, her tone colored with disbelief.

"Not everyone enjoyed high school, Prom Queen." I cracked open my eyes to see three women peering down on me with matching excitement. "It's our first date but…"

"But nothing." Caitlin jingling a dress bag in front of me. "Come on, don't you wanna knock Cisco off his feet."

 _Tempting_

"Alright, you've got my attention." I lifted myself off the bed. "Let me see what you got in that bag, Snowflake."

"It was a drunken Amazon order a couple of years ago. It's too short and too frumpy on me. But with your _curves…"_ Caitlin unzipped the bag with a flourish. "I think I'll be perfect."

It was a rather expensive looking wrap dress. It was purple with long sleeves that had a slit down the middle to create that "goddess effect". Caitlin wasn't kidding about it being short either…

"Okay this is gorgeous but I can't wear this! It looks expensive and it's late fall so it'll be cold and…"

"I bought hosiery so the cold isn't even an issue." Caitlin looked to smug for my liking. "And this wasn't expensive."

"Kane this is gonna look sooo good on you." Tajsa squeaked. "At least try it on."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

First of all, The genius totally wasn't nervous. Why would he be nervous: This was Kane. His Kane. It was only a date. A first date…with quite literally, his dream girl.

Cisco was a smart man. Of course, he was out of his mind with nerves.

"Dude, just breathe okay." Barry had chuckled. "You are already dating her. Kane already likes you. Just be yourself and don't mess this up."

Right, no sweat. Just don't screw up.

Much easier said than done. The original plan had been for Kane to meet him back at STAR Labs and they would walk the two blocks to the restaurant. Well that had been the plan until he received a text from Tajsa insisting that Cisco pick Kane up from the West house. Cisco hadn't even known the young girl had his number but he, nevertheless, agreed. Now it was just ticking on 7pm as the genius knocked on the West front door.

"Hey, Cisco." Iris opened the door to let him in. "You cleaned up."

"Well, you know me. So fresh and so clean." Cisco smirked as he smoothed a hand down his pressed shirt. He wanted to look good…but not too fancy. Just a pair of tan khakis and a button down that his brother had bought him a few birthdays ago.

"Where you two going tonight?" Wally asked, coming out of the kitchen.

"Kane has never eaten Thai food before so I've got a place in mind."

Tajsa bounced down the stairs, her curly ponytail swishing and her smile growing wider with each step. Her excitement was contagious and Cisco tried to contain his nervous grin. Iris and Caitlin didn't even attempt.

"Kane wants me to announce that the first person to make this a _thing_ is getting the air snatched from their lungs." Tajsa threatened for her sister.

"Can she really do that?" Wally asked skeptically.

"Do you wanna find out?" Caitlin asked the young man.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing, Kid West." Kane chuckled darkly as she silently reached the final step.

Kane didn't need to snatch the air out of his lungs…Cisco wasn't breathing.

She had on a long sleeve purple dress that tied into a droopy bow at her hip and was short enough that he would have to remind himself to stop staring at her legs tonight. How had Cisco missed how smooth and strong her legs were? Her curly hair had been pinned back on one side to show off the shiny, dangling black earrings…one that matched the jewels of the necklace that sat right below the meeting of her collarbones. Had her neck always been that elegant? Her makeup was minimal…just enough to add sparkle to her face, drama to her intense eyes and attention to her red lips. Gosh, how had he not realized just plush and shapely her lips were? He called himself a genius? He was a fool.

Cisco was sure that he looked like those lovesick puppies on the cartoons. The ones with the tongue handing out, the heart pumping straight out of his chest…and eyes as wide as saucers. Pulling himself back together, Cisco stepped forward…more nervous than ever.

"I wasn't sure before but I am certain now."

"About What?"

"I am the luckiest man." Cisco reached out and spun Kane. Her dress flared out with the air. "Dios Mio, your beautiful."

"I'm not the only one that cleans up well around here." Kane chuckled, touching the collar of his shirt. "Handsome."

Cisco turned to bid a goodbye to everyone else but the room was deserted. He could almost hear the giggles that set of people would keep up later. Grabbing her jacket and holding it out for Kane. She slipped into the garment with a wink that could have stopped his heart.

He was sooo screwed.

With a palm on the small of her back, Cisco led Kane to the car. He had barrowed one of the nicer company cars from the lab. One with leather seats and a glossy paint job. Kane was busy admiring the details of the vehicle to notice Cisco staring at her. He standing still was one thing but…the way she moved in that dress. His mouth went dry as she looked over her shoulder to him.

"Why are you staring at me?" Kane asked.

"Cause you're gorgeous." Cisco blurted as he recovered and opened the car door for her.

The couple arrived that the rest restaurant and Cisco, if he did say so himself, was putting the moves on Kane. He helped her into the passenger seat, held her hand while he drove, opened doors, pulled out chairs and gave her those heart eyes every shot he could. It was full-court-press right now.

"Watch yourself, genius." Kane has purred after he kissed her hand for the third time. "I might get used to all this attention."

"Good, then maybe you'll stop acting like you don't enjoy it."

"I never said a didn't enjoy it." Kane smirked as the waiter came over to the table.

The two ordered. Cisco some green curry and the air meta finally settling on Pad Thai. The genius teased her for such a safe choice.

"I thought you would go for the weirdest thing on the menu."

"I'm adventurous. But not with food." Kane hummed as she continued to look over the dessert menu.

Cisco was tempted to admire her beauty again but stopped himself…once he noticed the emotion vibrating off her.

"Why are you anxious?" he asked. Kane started to wave him off. "The truth please."

"The truth is that while I was gone, Ricky was here. Taking care of my sister." Kane sighed, putting the menu down. "I owe him."

"Harry and I are running the STAR LABS satellite for any sign of him, Thawne or his henchmen." Cisco reached across the table. "Stressing isn't going to help us move any faster."

"I just hate sitting on my hands." Kane remarked. "Reminds me of my cell at ARGUS."

"Tell me about your time with ARGUS."

"That isn't first date talk." Kane drew her hand back. Cisco sat still, attempting to wait her out. With a sigh, Kane tossed her curls back. "That night I didn't die but I was badly injured. I woke up two weeks later in a 15 by 15 cell…with smoke pouring out of my palms. I didn't understand what was happening and I begged someone to let me out. They didn't. After a while of beating my hands on the door of my cell, this glass panel opened. On the other side stood this lady in a blue power suit and Abe. They told me that I was with an agency called ARGUS and I was safe. They promised me that I would stay safe if I obeyed. Later I found out that Abe had sold me to Waller for half a million dollars."

"What did they ask you to do?"

"Just train at first. To learn how to use my powers and just how destructive that I could be. Learning to fight other people. It was an intensive program…training for sixteen hours a day. I had assumed that I was just a test subject. That something had happened to me and…they were just running test." Kane shook her head. "I had asked to be discharged from the program but they made it very clear that I wasn't going anywhere. I should fight, and they would fight back. Tazering me, Drugging me, beating me…just anything the guards came up with. "

"Kane," Cisco wanted to comfort her but she ignored him.

"Then one day, the director of the program asked me to break into this man's home. Find his briefcase and kill him. I Remember the ice-cold knife that Waller had put in my hand. Asking me to slice the man open. I didn't want to do it…"

"Did you kill him?" Cisco asked.

"I refused at first until the director reminded me that everyone I knew and everyone I loved already thought I was dead. She promised to kill me herself…so yes, I killed him." Cisco considered her eyes and saw the grey light flash there. " That was my entry into the Task force. I got moved to a new hall, with a new cell, new rules and teammates. I told one of the guards I wanted a tattoo so they allowed Deadshot to give me my first IX"

"If you didn't do exactly what she asked, she would kill you?"

"Yes, so I did exactly what was asked of me for a year. I transported, I stalked, and I killed." Kane caught Cisco's gaze. "After that year, I was promoted to the intelligence division for five months. I picked up a few bad habits and a few good ones too."

"Like what?"

"Well, I didn't have to kill anyone while I was with Intel but Cisco once you cross that line…I started to think of myself as no more than a weapon. A killing machine." Kane dropped her gaze again. " I started to meditate and worked on controlling myself."

"How did you leave that place?"

"They let me go. Agent Lyla let me go once she became the director. " She assured. "Waller had wrongfully imprisoned me. The agency gave me 10,000 dollars and a bus ticket to Hub City along with one of my teammates."

"Why didn't you come back to Central City then?"

"I was in no shape to come back here. I was too damaged." I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. "That girl that I had become…you wouldn't have even recognized her."

"That girl was doing what she had to in order to survive. That girl become who she needed to be at that time."

"That girl was a monster, Cisco." Kane scoffed. "The only difference between her and me is that I've learned to lock that side of myself down."

"Kane, we all have some darkness in us. But it doesn't have to define you. Not if you don't let it."

"Cisco don't pretend like it doesn't matter that I've killed over ten people." Kane snarled.

Cisco was unimpressed by her tiny display of aggression. He knew it meant nothing, it was only a defense mechanism. A signal that she was building her walls again. Cisco reached across the table and intertwined his fingers with hers. Kane attempted to pull her hand back but Cisco held.

"Of course it matters. You were forced to do something terrible…unspeakable. You were forced to end so many lives and rip apart so many families. I'm not saying that any of that justifies but…Dios Mio, Kane. You had to rip apart your own life." Cisco kissed her hand again. "I'm sorry."

"How can you even look at me knowing all of that? Know how damaged I am?"

"Yeah you're damaged." Cisco shrugged. Hell, he was damaged too. "But you aren't broken. And I find that pretty damn fantastic."

Kane granted him a smile and in his book…that was a win.

"Tell me something you haven't told me." Cisco implored.

"Like a secret?" She shot back, cocking one eyebrow.

"I'm sorry about all of that today." Cisco started. "Harry was…"

"Right… Dr. Wells is right." Kane fixed him in her mossy gaze. "I have a secret."

"One that you can trust me with."

"One that isn't mine to tell." Kane insisted.

"But if it effects the team than…"

"Cisco, someone came to me and asked for my help. What's happening to…this person…is happening to them. Not to the team." Kane insisted. "You're gonna have to trust me."

"I do trust you." Cisco assured. "You're always true to your word but what If in keeping that secret you make matters worse."

"My dad met my mom while she was instructing yoga. That's something you didn't know."

"Oh, nah nah. I want to know something about you. Tell me who you were before you became who you had to be." Cisco didn't press further on the secret. He knew that for now that conversation was over.

Kane considered him for a moment…long enough that Cisco was afraid he would have to do some convincing.

"I was a real dork as a kid." She laughed out. "I collected snow globes…"

"Whoa, snow globes." Cisco chuckled. "So what were the parameters of this collection."

"The inside figure would have to be of either something important to me…like a place or holiday, the snowflakes could not be too big, no lights or glitter and the globe itself could not be smaller than two handfuls." Kane ticked the requirements off on her fingers. Eyes lighting with seasoned interest. "I know that sounds like a lot but my parents were totally supportive. I had full sized book case of snow globes by 12."

"See I would have never guessed that. That you would like something so… fragile." Cisco took another sip of his wine. "Why the interest in snow globes."

Kane took her wine glass between her palms as if she was holding a ball. She then swirled the liquid around and set it back on the table until it settled.

"It's a storm. One shake and You've made a storm."

"One shake and you've got a storm." Cisco laughed. "That's us."

One shake was all it took. One event neither was prepared for before they were blown into each other's lives.

"Well I know I'm a thunderstorm. You're a brainstorm." Kane smirked at her own joke. "But kind of storm, are _we_?"

"A perfect storm."

"I don't believe in perfect." Kane's eyes were lit with mischief.

"But you know storms." Cisco pointed to the glass she had disrupted. "You see a perfect storm is a particularly violent situation arising from a critical state of affairs and unpredictable factors. A synergy of factors…leading to a release of energy much greater than either of its induvial parties could create."

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." Kane nodded, fire still dancing in her eyes. "After my parents died, I began to really hate storms. As an air meta…I'm on the fence about them. But as a child…I loved to dance in the rain."

Cisco's heart pounded so hard that he could fill it rattle his rib cage.

"You're turn." Kane prompted.

"I came this close…" Cisco put his thumb and forefinger less can a half of an inch apart. "To getting a tattoo."

"Why did you back out?" Kane challenged.

"I was fourteen and the neighborhood tattoo artist ran a business out of his mom's garage." Cisco shivered. "I'm not a germ-uh-phob but it seemed a little risky. Not to mention my mom would have killed me."

"An infection waiting to happen." Kane chuckled. "The tattoo…What was it gonna be?"

"A wolf…something to symbolize me and my brothers."

Kane went quiet for a second, tilting her head to the side.

"Brothers?" She questioned. "You have more than one brother?"

"Armando." Cisco answered, groaning at his slip up. Armando's story was exactly a first date topic either. "Ah…well, Armando is…"

"Cisco, if you don't want to talk about it tonight than don't." Kane reached across the table and put a hand over his. "We've got plenty of time for it."

"Alright. So, your turn then." Cisco leaned forward. "Favorite snow globe."

"I could never choose." Kane rolled her eyes. "But if I had to then I would say it was a chrome plated double sized globe that had a miniature and extremely detailed Santa's Workshop inside. I found that thing at a garage sale."

"So do you still…"

"Not so fast handsome." Kane tsked. "It's your turn. Did you always want to do engineering?"

"Are we really playing this question game?" Cisco laughed.

Kane quirked her eyebrow again.

"Did you always want to do engineering?"

By the time the check came, Cisco knew he had been a fool to be nervous. Away from all the craziness…just the two of them. Things were simple. Cisco had pulled her out of the resteraunt and let her to this place next door called Chill. It was one of those self-service Ice cream shops that bar a five-foot-long bar of toppings. After some playful bickering and some puppy dog eyes: the couple decided on one large up of chocolate cake ice cream pared with some special flavor called Sunshine…Which tasted a lot like Vanilla if you asked the genius. They overloaded the bowl with fruit, nuts, and cookie dough pieces. They took a booth in the back…opting this time to sit side by side rather than across. As soon as Cisco took the seat, Kane grabbed his chin and pressed her lips to his. Kissing him slowly, pulling the breath from his lungs, the way she had kissed him just this morning. Cisco was glad that they were mostly hidden from the rest of the patrons as he leaned into her and wrapped hand around the back of her neck.

"You've been making me wait all night for that." Kane scolded, turning back to the treat.

He had a good reason for that…he was weak. It too an unnatural amount of will power to keep his hands to himself. Now she went and opened a floodgate. Cisco curled his arms around her and breathed in that scent...the same one that clung to his sheets at his very moment. Was it lavender? Jasmine? Some other flower he wouldn't have recognized anyway. Cisco kissed her forehead, then her cheek, her jaw…

"You aren't even interested in the ice cream." Kane tsked. "Shame. It's good. Nice and sweet."

"I've already got something sweet." he wasn't lying.

"You have to at least try it." Kane insisted with a shiver as Cisco kissed her neck.

"oh this is so sweet!" A shrill voice exclaimed. Cisco pulled back from Kane in shock as an old lady that looked dangerously close to that grandma from the Legion movie took a seat at their table. "I remember when me and my Ivan were just like the two you. All hot and heavy and in love."

"So much is wrong with this situation." Kane mumbled. "Excuse me, Miss…

"Oh Oh it's Karen! My grandkids call me Grammy K!" The woman assured as she started on her ice cream. "How long have you two been at this?"

"Um Actually this is our first date so if you don't mind, Grammy K…" Cisco started but was cut off by the elderly woman.

"First date. I didn't know that you kids still do that." She laughed, delighted with the fact. "My grandson Ian is all grown up now. Moved out of my house. I don't think he ever took a girl on a first date. Not that he ever had a girlfriend. He isn't a looker like you, young man."

"Cisco," The genius gave in, Kane quirked an eyebrow at him. He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "C'mon. She probably has like…nobody."

"First date? Ha." She scoffed. "Honey, he looks at you like he has known you forever."

"How did you meet Ivan?" Kane asked, clearly only to satisfy Cisco.

"Oh it's the funniest of stories." She started. "I was 20 years old and I was working at my Father's market store. This man walked in…six foot two, skin like sun and a jaw like an anvil. Not to mention the prettiest brown eyes I had ever looked into. Stole my heart right on the spot. Next thing I know I was going to drive-ins and dances the whole thing with Ivan and His friends. But my father didn't like Ivan. Nope not one bit. He tried to marry me off to one of this Market Partners. Well, that wasn't happening because I hated the man and everything he stood for. So I left home with Ivan and never looked back!"

"He tried to marry you off?" Kane asked, her voice sounded far away as she kept at her dessert. Her eyes shifted across the table as if she was calculating.

"He tried but I'm a woman of my word. I told Ivan that I loved him and I was gonna marry him." She laughed. "And that is what I did. Rest his soul."

"Rest his soul, indeed." Kane turned and gripped Cisco's hand. "We need to go."

"What wrong?"

"Oh. Is the store closing?" The woman asked.

"No, Karen. You enjoy the rest of your night." Kane was quite literally vibrating with agitation. "Cisco, babe, we need to go."

Before Cisco could respond Kane had pushed him out of the booth and was pulling him in the direction of the car.

"Wait, wait slow your roll girl." Cisco huffed once they reached the car. "Why do we need to go. Where do we need to go?"

"Cisco, I am an idiot." Kane pulled a hand through her curls. "I know where Thawne is. We need to find Barry."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey everybody! Studying for this LSAT is killing me. Part the clouds is almost wrapped! I hope you all enjoyed the Kaneco date from last chapter, I had fun writing it. I know the end wrapped a bit fast and left a bit of confusion. I'll explain it all in this chapter. So my plan is two more story chapters followed by a Kaneco epilogue. Thanks for sticking with me! Let me know if you dig this chapter!**

 **-Lex**

Like I said, I was an idiot. I had thought that I was getting better at taming my impulsive nature. You know, just blurting out things that came to mind. But here in the Cortex, with the superfriends…I realized I had made no progress on that front. No, I just had to cut my date with Cisco short because I was so damn impulsive.

Idiot, I scolded again.

"Sorry, can we go over this one more time?" Cisco asked. "how did you figure his whereabouts."

My frantic scrabbling had turned us back to STAR Labs and into a meeting with the team.

"I knew a business associate of Abe's was staying at the cabin."

"But how did you guess it was Thawne?" Caitlin pushed. "I'm assuming Abe has many associates."

Had I given myself more time, I would have could come up with…a better explanation for what I knew.

"What?" Cisco asked, the team whipping around to face him. "What are you hiding."

"I'm serious. I'm not hiding things from you. From any of you." My hands balled into fist on my hips. "Long story made short. Abe worked for ARGUS…and I think, so did Thawne."

The room was silent as they processed that information. An air of distrust fell over the group.

"How about you take us through the long version." Joe insisted.

"Fair." I squared my shoulders and drew in a calming breath. "You all remember that week I was in STAR City. I wasn't chasing thugs the entire time."

 _Flashback._

It shouldn't have been so damn easy to find out where Lyla lived. I mean, she was the new director of ARGUS. It should have been easy to sneak past the guards posted by her house either. And…it shouldn't have been easy to pry open a window and slip into the cozy little house.

But here I was…sitting on Lyla's expensive brown couch sipping something equally as expensive and brown.

Lyla and I had worked several missions together during my time with the agency. Two while I was on the task force, one with her husband in tow and more when I made it to intel. She had always been the more trustworthy of the agents I had met. Not to mention she gave a damn about all of people that ARGUS had on lockdown.

She had treated me like I wasn't a weapon. Like I was human.

I heard a gun cock and I had a feeling that the barrel was pointed at me.

"Relax, Agent Mrs. Diggle." I rolled my eyes and turned on my heels. "It's your favorite Metahuman."

"Kane," She breathed and emptied the gun chamber. "This is my family house. My son could have been here."

"But he is out with Agent Mr. Diggle." I corrected.

"I could have you arrested for breaking and entering." Lyla barked but there was no real bite to her words. The director pushed past me and poured herself a drink. "Last I heard from you, you were in HUB city."

"Yep in that nice-ass loft you put me in. I've moved around since then. I was making a home in Central City."

"Troubling use of past tense."

"I'm not sure that I'll go back."

"Doesn't your sister live in Central City? All you could talk about while you were with ARGUS was seeing your sister again." Lyla took a long sip of her drink. "What changed."

"Nothing changed." I scoffed. "I just finally realized."

"Kane, something tells me that this isn't a social call." Lyla quirked an eyebrow.

"Have you heard the news about the Central City metahuman that destroyed a park, killing a child in the process." Of course, she had heard. She was the director of ARGUS.

"You're Mother Nature."

"When I had my accident I was a bartender who adored her little sister, was shopping for a puppy and had an annoying boyfriend. Other than a few bad marks on my record I was pretty damn normal." I slapped the counter with more force than necessary. "I was told that the Task Force was the worse of the worse. I need to know how I ended up there. What had I done to deserve being thrown into a cage with a bomb attached to my spine and forced to do Wallers bidding."

Lyla waivered, as if she didn't want to tell me.

"ARGUS went into Central City to help with the cleanup. Like First responders would. The agent that found you claimed that you were in…bad shape. In fact, I was sure that you wouldn't make it all the way to the hospital. But you did. Within hours your body was completely healed. The doctors had never seen anything like it. Hell, ARGUS had never seen it." Lyla hummed as she took a seat on her couch. "The next thing I knew Waller had you under 24 hour supervision. During that time, Metahumans had started to pop up. These people had all been in terrible accident on the same right as you and Waller hoped…maybe you were one."

"Got what she wanted."

"Waller always got what she wanted. You woke up about two weeks later: angry, confused, afraid. Waller exploited that into a well-trained human weapon." Lyla sighed. "Well after Abe sold you to Waller."

"Abe sold me to Waller." I snarled, fighting the urge to hit something.

"Abe always was one of Waller's favorite agents." Lyla poured another drink. "Very high security clearance."

Agent?

"Abe isn't an agent. Abe is a lawyer."

"Abe was a lawyer that worked primarily for ARGUS. Did you really believe all that money he has is from saving and investing?" Lyla jeered.

"How long has Abe worked for ARGUS?"

"30 years, until I became director. Some of his ideas had grown…too cruel and unusual… even for ARGUS." Lyla took another long sip of her drink and looked at me over the rim with understanding eyes. "I let several people go, Abe included, once I was given the authority."

"So, I've been living with ARGUS my entire life." I blew a frustrated breath out of my nostrils. Just when I thought I knew Abe's game…there was more on the board.

"I hate to admit it but yes." She laughed humorlessly. "ARGUS money paid for a majority. Somethings were…given to him."

"Given?"

"Waller believed in rewards and incentives. So, every time Abe helped us in a rather messy legal matter, Waller threw in extra with his yearly bonus. As you know Abe is a fan of property."

"Beach house, the lake house, the house in Bludhaven." I listed. "I knew those couldn't have been 'family houses' Tajsa and I never went."

"Actually, they are old safe houses. Only ARGUS agents and personnel allowed inside." The woman watched me pace the floor for a full minute before continuing. "So? Did you get the answers you came for?"

I didn't answer that.

"Are you just gonna run away from Central City now? From your sister?"

"Of course not. I'll go back…eventually."

"Eventually?"

"I've got some things I need to sort out here." I peeked through the peephole on her door and saw two plain clothes agents in the hallway. "Think they'll try to shoot me if I go through the door instead of the window? Try being the operative word in that sentence."

"I'll tell them to stand down." The woman snorted strolling up to me. "Word of advice, Kane: You are just as much of a victim as a participant. Accept it, embrace it, then forgive yourself for it."

"Good seeing you again Director Diggle." I gave her a salute as I made to open the door.

Lyla stopped me with one hand on the frame.

"I'm sure I don't have to tell you that this conversation never happened."

"What conversation?" I checked over my shoulder. "I was just searching your liquor cabinet."

 _End Flashback_

"So last night when that old lady started to tell us about her father's business associate and marrying-slash-selling her off. It reminded me of Abe selling me to ARGUS. Then I thought about the associate that Abe had in the Cabin"

"But how can you be sure that Thawne ever worked for ARGUS." Barry asked.

Huh…The hero had a point.

"I dug up some information on Thawne and discovered that supposedly he worked for an accounting service called R.G Industries." Iris offered. "Kane, does that mean anything to you?"

"No." I answered, breathing out a long sigh. "I don't know what that is."

"Like you really don't know or one of these' you aren't sure you should share with the rest of the class'." Cisco check as he typed with more force than necessary.

"Like I really don't know." I replied, feeling my stomach twist. Shit, he was upset. "I worked with intel but I only had a level 2 security clearance. Even being nosey I could only get up to level four information. There are ten different clearances."

"How could you not tell us that Abe worked with ARGUS?!" Harry bellowed. "That is probably how he knows that Barry is the Flash. Or how he kept tabs on you. Kane, you cannot keep secrets such as this…"

"This wasn't a secret that I was actively keeping. This was a private conversation that I didn't realize would even matter. Where is the line between how much I know and how much I tell you? Ive got about 25 years of info up here, doc. What am I supposed to tell you?"

"You can start by things that directly affect this team." my boyfriend blurted.

"Cisco." I locked eyes with him. "Don't."

"What's going on?" Barry asked, looking like a kicked puppy. "Are you keeping something from us?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that in an open setting." I huffed.

"Kane," Iris started.

"No, I have the right to remain silent and I have the right to not self-incriminate." I threw up my hands.

"How are we supposed to trust you if…"

"You can trust me because I can keep my word and keep my mouth shut, prom queen." I snapped at Iris.

"That doesn't make you much of a team member, Kane." Iris insisted.

"Bullshit, you all don't tell each other every detail and you are still a functioning team." I contended. "But just because I spare details I'm not a team player? Why is it any different?"

"Because you're the only one in this room with a history of lying, stealing, killing etcetera." Wells reasoned.

…oh. Oh!

"This is about my resume. Because I'm the only one in this room who has danced with the devil." I looked around the group. "Because I'm a criminal? I'm clearly too dangerous to trust?"

"Kane, no, okay this isn't about…" Cisco started but Wells was much louder.

"Oh no, I think you can be trusted. If there is something in it or you." Wells rasped.

Like a strike from a cobra, my tiny hand lashed out and grabbed Wells by his jaw. Honestly, that reaction hadn't been premeditated and I wasn't sure why I had done it. But…since I had his attention and the silence from the group, I pulled the mad scientist closer. He groaned under my grip.

"I am inclined to say that I am nothing like Abe but perhaps I'm wrong. Because neither one of us know a thing about mercy." I hissed, tightening my grip only slightly. "But I am _very_ big on delivering. So, do us both a favor and don't ask for it."

Full discourse, I was completely bluffing. I very strongly disliked the doctor but he was on the team. I would never hurt any of them on purpose. But intimidating was a different story.

"Enough, enough." Caitlin pushed her way between Wells and I. "Kane is keeping secrets because I asked her to do it."

"Cait?" I called in warning. "Not like this."

"I can't watch you take all the heat for me." Caitlin took a breath. "I have powers."

"What? What kind of powers?" Iris asked.

"The cold kind." Caitlin turned her palms upward and let the icy mist pour out. " Kane has been teaching me to control them."

Silence, again.

"Why wouldn't you tell us?" Cisco looked betrayed

"I was going to Cisco. When I was ready!" Snow yelled past the lump in her throat. "You're all ganging up on Kane when for the last week she has been meeting with me at five in the morning to train me and teach me how to control my powers."

"Okay but why Kane?" Joe asked. "No offense."

"None taken." I assured. Hell, I had asked the same thing. I wasn't a role model by any means.

"Because She is the only one who would understand." Snow claimed.

"Seeing as I've done nothing wrong but kept my word…" I told the group as I spun on my heels. "I'm out."

"Kane, wait." Cisco started to stop me.

"Don't Cisco. Just don't." I snarled at him, refusing to acknowledge the ache in my stomach when I did.

I just needed to get out of these fancy clothes and to the roof. I just needed to get some air and entertain some silence. At least…that had been the plan until Barry appeared right in front of me as I turned to the office that I had flipped into a living quarter of sorts.

"I want to be alone, Hero." I rolled my eyes as Barry's long frame blocked the door. "Shouldn't you be with Cait? She needs you. All of you."

"Well, you told Cisco to push off and…" Barry hummed. "The last time, I let you go blow off some steam you blew an entire park away."

My green eyes snapped up to his and Barry stepped away from the door.

"I'm sorry. That was a very bad joke. I shouldn't have made it." He apologized, looking like a guilty puppy.

With another roll of my eyes, I pushed the door open. The space had been used as storage but I had pushed all the equipment out and got one of those Glade Plug-ins that smelled like jasmine and roses. In the center of the room was a cot that I lifted from the med bay, a few bags of clothes over by the wall, a toiletry bag on top of the oak desk that I had found.

"You know if you really aren't going back to your apartment then I could fix this up into an actual room for you." Barry offered, looking disappointed when I didn't take the bait. "Harry doesn't speak for us all, Kane."

"Oh, I know that."

"And you can stop with the power displays because nobody believed you would hurt him."

Admittedly, that got my attention.

"Yes you did." I assured, slipping off my shoes. "As soon as I grabbed him it was silence of the lambs."

"Lambs." Barry took a seat on the desk. "What does that make you? The lion?"

"Ive been called worse." I made to thump him in the chest but Barry grabbed my wrist. "It's that he compared me to Abe."

"Kane, you are nothing like Abe." Barry cooed. "I understand why you couldn't say anything. It's like when I found out Oliver was the Green Arrow. I couldn't say anything because it wasn't my secret to tell. And this wasn't yours. And you're not just a criminal Kane. Harry doesn't see how far you have come. He doesn't know how much redemption means to you."

"I wasn't going to hurt him Barry I was just…"

"Proving that you could, I know." Barry shrugged.

"So what now?" I asked, unknotting the side of the dress.

"Uh," The bashful speedster spun around as not to see me undress. I almost laughed. "Well, you said you have a lead. And youre my partner so…"

"Partner?" I smirked at the term as I folded Snow's dress and pulled on a pair of workout capris and a mesh layer sports bra. "Ok. You can look now."

"Why did you change? You looked nice."

"Well, that was my date outfit and I screwed up the date so…"

Barry snorted.

"Oh I doubt that."

"We could have still been out or back at his or…Whatever." I sighed. "But I screwed that up by bringing Thawne into the picture."

"Sometimes it's hard to leave work at work." Barry hummed in agreement. "We should call Lyla and check to see if Thawne really worked for ARGUS."

"Awesome."

"I was hoping that you could talk to her. Lyla doesn't seem to ever want to tell me anything." Barry asked, holding out his cellphone with Lyla's contact pulled up.

"Wow, hero." I chuckled swiping the device from his palm and hit her number. "Looks like my ARGUS training was good for something."

Barry rolled his eyes and mouthed a 'not funny'. Lyla answered on the third ring.

"Barry," Lyla answered, her voice a whisper. "I just got my child down so this better be important."

"Well, I think it's kinda important but im not sure if it's 'wake the baby' important." I hit the speaker.

"Ah, Kane."

"Barry, too."

"So Director, there is an unmarked car in a no parking zone. It one of yours?" I asked. At ARGUS everyone spoke in metaphors.

"What makes you think I would know anything about this vehicle?"

"Call it a hunch." I replied. Barry quirked an eye brow as Lyla sighed.

"Make and model?" The director asked, sounding as if she had moved into another room.

"Thawne, M."

"Malcolm Thawne is in Central City?" She gasped.

"So…you know him?"

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCD

Cisco had promised himself that he would not search for anyone using his Vibe powers. Not unless absolutely life or death necessary. It was unethical, unfair and a huge misappropriation of his powers. A Jedi misusing his powers is one of the quickest paths to the dark side. And Cisco had made it clear…even to Reverb…that he was not going to the dark side.

But.

This search was a 100 percent necessary.

Cisco needed to understand Caitlin's powers if he was going to be of any help to his best friend. He needed to see them in action. He needed to see her training with Kane. The genius milled around his workspace until he found a notebook of Kane's. The one she used to jot down additional data about metahumans and anything that would link them to Thawne.

He thumbed through the spiral, shocked at her organization. Everything dated and detailed in neatly packed script. Cisco wasn't sure he could even write a sentence in script. Continuing his inspection, the raven haired man noticed the drawings in the corner margin of every page. Drawings not doodles. Kane had stroked out scratches of flowers, dogs, and even a few cars.

Hmm, so she could draw. What other talents was she hiding?

"Focus!" Cisco scolded himself aloud. "You have all the time in the world to figure out her talents."

Taking a deep breath, Cisco put his hand on Kane's notebook. Colors flashed across his vision and Cisco's mind was sucked back into the time line. After a few seconds of swirling on its axis, the world grew still and Cisco was standing in a very large storage unit. If he wasn't mistaken, it was a storage unit that Belonged to STAR Labs. Ronnie kept all his big projects here but the space had been cleared years ago.

"Youre late." Caitlin's voice rattled with nerves and bounced off the walls.

Cisco turned to find an athletically dressed Caitlin Snow stretching on one of those huge sparing mats. He didn't even know she owned workout pants.

"Bite me, Snowflake." Kane trotted up, equally dressed for sweat. She dropped to the mat and started stretching her legs. "I told you I wasn't a morning person."

"All that means is you don't get enough sleep." Caitlin was on her feet, pacing.

"No, I don't sleep much." Kane rolled her eyes and twisted her back. "Thanks for noticing."

"Why not?" That had stopped Caitlin's pacing. "Is it because of Cisco?"

"Oh please." Kane climbed to her feet and peeled out of her hoodie. "He isn't the first guy to hate me."

"Cisco doesn't…"

"Have you stretched? Have you meditated? It doesn't feel like you meditated."

"I cant seem to relax enough to get to a 'island' like you do."

"We'll work on it." Kane promised as she slipped into a fighting stance.

Caitlin automatically mirrored the stance to the best of her ability. Kane forced her hands higher and her feet further apart with a small smirk. The girls started slowly with a basic flow drill for boxing. Something Cisco remembered doing with his brother Armando. It was a simple pushing and pull of energy and He was proud of Caitlin. She was keeping up, even ducking when Kane threw a high punch. However, the exercise became much harder for her once Kane increased the speed.

"Ow!" Caitlin hissed, rubbing at her face.

"Cait. I cant slap you if you keep your hands up."

"I hate boxing. I'm so much better at throwing icicles."

Icicles?

"I'll make you a deal," Kane paced back the length of the mat. "Hit me twice out of five throws. I'll cut the boxing in half and double our ice work."

"Kane, Why don't you sleep?"

"I got used to watching by back at all times. I never knew when a guard might decide…that I needed punishment." Kane grumbled out.

"You aren't there anymore."

"Sometime I still am, Cait. I'm trying. I really am." Kane sighed. "Deal or no deal?"

"Deal." Caitlin bounded to the other side of the mat. Her brow furrowed in concentration as her palm iced over. She curled her fingers into an 'o' and the icicle started to form in her hand.

A icy white colored her irises and Kane stood straight with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Classic baddass pose. Caitlin tossed her creation in Kane's direction…the ice shattering an inch away from Kane's feet.

"Boring, Frosty." Kane taunted. "Concentrate."

Caitlin repeated the process but put much more power behind her throw. The ice pick blew right over Kane's high ponytail.

"You aren't trusting your instincts." Kane scolded. "Your powers aren't inherently evil, Snow. Because you aren't. They are just an extension of yourself."

"I understand that I…"

"Breathe." Kane instructed. "Breathe into your body. Feel the ice in your veins."

Caitlin let out a breath and squared her shoulders, producing an icicle that was more knife than icicle. With a forced grunt, Caitlin lopped the structure right at Kane's chest. The air meta blocked the ice by forming her arms into an 'x'…the ice scarping her skin as it shattered.

Cisco wanted to shiver. His best friend was only a few cold days away from becoming Killer Frost.

"Cisco," Caitlin's demanding voice jarred him back into his lab. "We need to talk."

It took him a minute to make sure he was completely out of the Vibe.

"Were you just Vibing?"

"No, just spaced." He answered with a shake of his head. "So? Killer Frost?"

"Cisco I am not Her!" Caitlin insisted, coming further into the workspace.

"Why the secrecy? We are best friends. Did you think that I wasn't going to be there for you? You were there for me when I got my powers." Cisco reminded.

"My doppleganger was a super villain."

"No, no your gonna have to do better than that." The genius folded his arms tightly, regarding his friend with tight eyes. "Caitlin Im walking around with two loaded guns here. Do you think that I don't know what it feels like to have a monster inside? My doppelgänger was a super villain too."

Caitlin dropped her head, chestnut hair hiding an apologetic face.

"If I had told you that I was a metahuman. That I had ice powers?" She picked at her wrist nervously. "What would you have said."

"I would have told you that it was going to be okay." Cisco breathed. "That it wasn't the end. That we could fix…"

"That's right, Cisco." Caitlin cut him off, lifting her head and allowing him to see her iced out irises. "A fix-it. Because I'm broken."

"You aren't…"

"Yes I am Cisco!" She screamed back. Tears swelled in her eyes. "There is something wrong with me. The chill in my bones. The need to take back everything stolen from me. To destroy just as I have been destroyed. I've spent months repulsed by my very own impulses! Hating myself for what I've wanted to become! I am sick. I am broken! You know it, I know it. Joe, Harry and Iris know it. And Barry knows it too."

"But not Kane." Cisco summarized, clamping a shoulder down on his friend.

"I cant be saved Cisco so I didn't need a hero." She whispered. "I needed someone that had been there before."

The genuis wasn't often speechless…but he knew Caitlin was right. Cisco couldn't identify with the struggle she was going through with her powers. Oh he had felt it. He somedays felt so crazy powerful that Reverb's speech about becoming a God played in his ears. But he had never…ever…felt the need to act upon any of it. He's never had to hold himself back from doing something…wicked.

"Are the sessions with Kane even helping."

"Gives me an outlet for all my aggression." Caitlin nodded.

"What if by letting all that out you morph into Killer Frost? Just hear me out!" Cisco put up his hands to stop her impending interruption. "What if we attack this entire KF problem on different sides. You keep up the training sessions but you do it here. Where we can monitor you like how we did with Barry in the earlier days. What if through doing that we find a way to keep you Frost sans Killer?"

The doctor chewed on the idea for a while, Cisco waiting on bated breath beside her.

"I would have to ask Kane what she thinks." Caitlin replied after a few minutes. "These meetings aren't just for me."

"Really?"

"Kane was very closed off. It's not easy getting her to open up and talk." Cait bumped his shoulder with her own. "But she wants to. She wants to open up to you."

Well, she did promise that she would tell him everything.

"Don't be mad at her." Cait pleaded. "I asked her to keep this secret from you."

"But why would she want to?" He asked. "She can tell me anything."

"You should go ask her."

So he did. Cisco found her in the garage, dressed out in the workout attire that he had become accused to. Wally had convinced Kane to let him work on her car as a sort of school project after the wreck. He did good work…rebuilt part of the engine, almost had the frame back into alignment. Cisco had helped him a few times and Kane enjoyed supervising the activity.

She didn't know anything about cars, which had surprised the genius.

"My mom was big on cars. Restored my dad's all by herself." Kane had told him a few days ago as she watched Wally work. "I just like the way they look."

Cisco had laughed away the question on his tongue. Everything she did was for someone else. Tattoos that reminded her of her dad, a car for her mom…not to mention all the stuff that she did because of Tajsa.

"Are you gonna just stare at me or you wanna talk?" Kane had asked, not bothering to turn around.

"Can I do both?"

"I'm having a hard time figuring out where the line is?"

"Which line?"

"When does omitting information become lying?" Kane looked over her shoulder. "and why is it only a problem when a criminal does it?"

"Kane don't call yourself a…"

"Criminal?" Kane scoffed. "None of you tell the complete truth. Cait didn't say anything about being a meta and I get it. That was a secret. I told her that she should tell the team."

"Yeah, she should have."

"She kept that from all of you, but you all keep things from me." Kane finally faced him.

"We aren't keeping anything from you."

"Really? Where did you get the formula for my sister's medicine? If the old Wells died why is there another Wells down the hall?"

"That's not fair, Kane. It's different when it comes to Earth-2." Cisco reasoned. "We aren't saying that…omission is a problem. It's leaving things out that directly affect us."

"Ok, let's play it on your court." Kane took measured steps in his direction. "You had all those Vibes about me knowing that I was drawn to you. Knowing that I was trying to understand. And you kept that from me."

"But I told you about them!" Cisco rebutted.

"You told me once it became important to tell me. Had I never kissed you, Cisco…would you have told me."

The genius didn't answer. He was around 87% sure that he would have told her.

"Eventually, I would have had to tell you. I couldn't have started dating you without telling you." Cisco confessed. "I didn't realize that keeping those Vibes a secret really bothered you. I'm sorry for that. I thought you understood. I thought you let it go."

"You don't get it, Cisco." Kane insisted. "I have let it go. Of course, I understand. It is the exact same thing I would have done."

 _Ooooooh…that why she was careful about telling him things._

Kane wasn't dealing her cards under her table, she was trying to figure out the best way to play the hand she was dealt.

"Do you trust me Cisco?"

"I told you I did." The genius promised.

Kane let her mossy gaze rest on his for a few seconds. A look in her eye the Cisco didn't quite recognize... half amused, half annoyed.

"You lied." She snorted, "Usually I would say it was fine. I mean everybody lies and especially they lie to me. But…but it isn't. You aren't just anybody, so you don't get to lie to me."

"I never lied to you."

"You said you trust me at the restaurant and you let it drop. Then we get back here and you try to force it out of me. Just because there was an audience didn't mean anything would change. If Caitlin hadn't stepped up I still wasn't going to tell it."

"I know, you would have taken all the heat and all the punishment. Just like you did for your sister." Cisco sighed, trailing his hand down her arm. "I was hoping that having everyone there would steer you into…"

Kane pushed away from him.

"No, no don't distract me." Kane insisted. "Either you trust me or you don't. You don't get to force me into any position. I make my own damn choices."

"Okay, I understand." Cisco agreed, feeling her hurt. "That wont happen again."

Seemingly appeased, Kane closed the distance between them and captured his bottom lip between her own. Pulling away much too fast for his liking.

"Not so fast, Foxy Brown." Cisco laid a hand against the small of her back to keep her close. "We need to talk about that little stunt you pulled on Harry."

"All I did was grab his face." Kane shrugged.

"You know what I think? I think that wanted everyone to believe that you got angry. That you needed to prove your dominance." Cisco started, trailing his lips over her forehead. "But I can feel your emotions."

"And what did you feel?"

"Mostly anger, resentfulness but for a split second before you grabbed him…disappointed and shame." Cisco turned Kane face back as she looked way. "Then right back to anger to prove that you aren't vulnerable."

"I'm not." Kane barked back much too quickly.

"I told you, you don't need to be that strong all the time."

"Around you, Cisco. I don't need to be that strong around you." Kane corrected. "Strong is what everyone else expects from me."

"And now you're a person that does what everyone expects of her?"

Kane flashed a smirk and pushed away from him.

"One thing at a time, handsome."

"Speaking of Vibes. I had another one." Cisco paused. "Well I went looking for one."

"You can do that?"

"It one morning when you and Caitlin were training. She asked you about your sleeping habits."

"I told you when you woke me up. I usually don't sleep that deeply."

"So you feel safe with me." Cisco could feel the smirk on his face.

"Don't get smug, Genius." Kane rolled her eyes playfully. "and don't let me get used to it. I might start spending the night often."

"Not a chance. Not if you're worried about watching your back." The genius promised, leaning forward to peck her lips. "I'm gonna be watching you like a hawk."

Cisco saw the mischievous glint in her eyes and his mouth went dry.

"Then I'll make sure to give you something worth watching."

Cisco flubbed around for a witty comeback but he could hear his own voice over the beating of his heart and the swish of blood in his ears. Why did he think he could out flirt this woman? Luckily he was saved by a Flash suited Barry ambling into he room.

Well, not all that lucky.

"Ah, I'm interrupting again!" Barry hid his flushed face.

"I thought you were off to save the day, Hero."

"Well, I would." Barry allowed himself a peak to make sure they had pulled apart. The speedster locked eyes with the genius. "But you aren't suited up yet."

Cisco beamed. He had finished her suit early that morning because he was the Obi Wan of multitasking.

"What?" Kane sneered as Cisco started to back out of the room.

"Did you think I was gonna let you fight crime in a hoodie and jeans?" The genius reminded over his shoulder.

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

I was never very excited about holidays…well to be fair, I wasn't excited about holidays since my parents passed. Usually, I faked caring every year because it wasn't fair to mess up the holidays for other people. Live, let live and all of that. One holiday I especially didn't get was Halloween. I just never saw the point in putting on a costume. They were itchy and sweaty and just made for a long night.

So, I had surprised myself when Cisco showed me that sketch for the suit. My core vibrated with nerves and excitement. I found myself envisioning how I would look. Would I seem Heroic like Flash? Maybe mysterious like Green Arrow? Or would I just look menacing like I had in my ARGUS uniform?

Neither, none.

I looked strong. I looked daring. I looked resolute.

And I felt calm. Like all the puzzle pieces fell into place.

The pants and bodice-like vest both done in a light sky blue with the feel of leather without the weight. The vest itself had been changed from the original work: cap sleeves had been added. The cloud gray boots were sturdy were lighter than I imagined with buckles in place of the laces that had been in the original work. They were better for battle this way. The long gloves matched the boots perfectly with the added feature of an extra few inches of material to connect to the vest if desired. My face mask was a thick pair of motorcycle googles with very dark tinted lenses. The outside of the googles were lined with a half inch of material that further obstructed my t-zone and cheeks as well as secured them to my face. A leather strap was added for max security of the googles.

The thing fit like a second skin.

Most of all, I adored the belt. Wide gray fabric swept the curve of my waist and the top of my hips to meet with a steel "N" belt buckle. To the world it would stand for Nimbus. To me it stood for nine.

"So what do you think?" Barry asked, just as I was stuffing my hair into a very tight bun. "Think youre ready to be a hero."

"Maybe."

"It's amazing right?" Barry ran a hand over his emblem. "I've try to explain it. I'm always the Flash. You're always gonna be her. But when you put on the suit…"

"You aren't occupying the same space as a hero. You are the hero." I finished for him turning to descend the stairs.

"So youre a hero."

"I haven't saved anybody, yet." I punched him in the shoulder. "Let's move out."

"Great, so I was thinking: You fly ahead and…"

"Whoa!" I stopped my trek to the exit. "We just discovered I could fly. I cant control it."

"Well, now is as good a time as any." Caitlin reminded, because clearly my comms worked. "Plus, I cant wait to get these readings."

"Ditto. I have to know if my suit can hold up to all that air abrasion." Cisco munched on something.

"So, Nimbus." Barry goaded, leading me outside to the parking lot. "You gonna show us some air…or what?"

I squared my feet and let myself feel the night time air. The currents were crisp and agitated…begging me to use them. I took a running start, directing wind to push hard against my back before jumping off cement median in the lot. The same wind current pushed me up, up, and even futher until I was weightless, shooting through the city buildings like a missile

"Dangggggg." Cisco crooned. "270 miles per hour."

"Really," I knew I was moving fast but not that fast. It kinda felt like I was sprinting.

"Vitals are stable." Caitlin reported.

"You also leaving a smoke cloud in your wake. Like an airplane." Barry said. "It wont be hard to follow you."

"I think…" I tested the strength of the current I was creating. "I think I can go higher."

"Do it." Cisco commanded.

I pushed my chest upward, allowing the current to sweep under me. The air above me was much thinner but only a few degrees weaker. Latching on to one of these currents, I forced the air to push my top half down until I was flat…like a swimmer.

"You heart rate is a little fast but with all things considered…" Cait trailed off as I chuckled.

"The city lights are ending." I reported as I observed the land below me. "How close am I to the cabin."

"15 miles. So the rate youre traveling, two minutes." Wells answered.

You would think that I could see everything from this altitude but that wasn't true. I could make out roads, the lake, a neighborhood, and the woods but no detailed features. Perhaps that was because of the night sky. I looked up as my shock almost distracted me from the vital need to hold onto the air currents. The moon seemed…brighter and almost more full. I had always seen the stars through the visor of a city and they never quite appeared to twinkle. And there sure as hell hadn't been enough stars to fill my kid's astronomy book. But out here, higher in the sky, the stars twinkled just like those kid books had promised.

"Kane, you are just outside the Cabin." Wells' voice pulled me back into reality.

"Roger that." I acknowledged. "Landing now."

Pushing my leg under me, I realized the bottom current a little bit at a time until I was half a tree from the ground. I had dropped those lengths before so I took a leap. Immediately regretting my decision. With no current under me and the above current pushing downward, my assisted free fall turned into a hurtle towards the dirt.

"Crap." I groaned, grabbing a low hanging branch to slow me down and a cloud of smoke to break my fall.

I heard the thud before I felt it. But, boy, my entire rib cage felt it.

"You're going to have to work on that landing." Flash skidded to a stop in front of me.

"Ow."

"I checked out the perimeter of the cabin, around the lake and the woods and you were right. Someone is inside."

 _Showoff_

I looked off into the distance and saw the light from the inside of the sizable log cabin that Abe/ ARGUS owned.

"That's Thawne." I assured. "There is a backdoor to the cabin. We could ambush him."

"Let's draw him out." Flash suggested.

"No need," I nodded in the direction of the Cabin. "He's coming out."

Thawne was on his phone, chattering to someone about this evening's 'event'. Barry muttered something about Eddie Thawne that was far too low for me to hear. Probably about how the two brothers looked just alike. Like twins rather than half-brothers. I pivoted to ask Barry for the plan but in an electric wind, he was gone.

"Damn it."

"The game stops now, Thawne." Flash stepped out into the clearing between the trees and the cabin.

 _Why? Why does he announce himself like that? He did that when we met._

"Sorry, I've gotta call you back." Thawne smiled as he hung up the phone. "Flash. The man I have been waiting to see."

"I know about your plans for Central City!"

"Why would he say that?" I hissed.

"It ends now." Flash bellowed.

"End?" Thawne laughed. "I'm just getting started."

I blinked and the man disappeared, the crackling wind in his wake. Did he…

"Shut the front door!" Cisco blanched. "Since when does Thawne have speed."

"That blue flame." Wells sparked. "Kane was struck with that flame so it must be pure energy. Perhaps he can manipulate that energy."

"He can," I answered. "I saw him turn that flame from a sword to a blast during the fight."

My spine prickled suddenly, alerting me that something was coming. I turned just in time to see Thawne charging at me. His lightening was blue. Quickly, I used Thawne's wind current to sling him into a tree.

"Can confirm. He is totally using that Blue Flame."

Flash zoomed over to him, clocking his chest with speed punches. Thawne countered with a few of his own…at least I thought so. The speedsters moved so fast that it was hard to follow the fight. I just saw a blur of lightening and heard a lot of grunts.

"Barry!" Cisco called, just as Thawne sped away.

The man ripped past me…if I wasn't mistaken his shoes were on fire. I stood still and absorbed his after current. It wasn't as harsh as Barry's or as charged.

"Youre faster than him, I can feel it in the air." I promised the speedster. "Don't just stand there, Hero. Run Barry, Run!"


	19. One

a/n: Hey everybody. I had the chapter written rather sparsely and was starting to beef it up but my father passed away. I just became mentally able to post it. So please forgive me if it isn't as juicy as I intended but I really did try. I am going to finish this story, no worries. My dad would be so mad if I quit anything because of him. 1 more chapter to go.

-Lex

It wasn't the pacing that made him uneasy. Cisco's new girlfriend was like an agitated cat when she was anxious. A black jaguar that walked the length of grounds but never allowed her gaze to stray. Had he been her enemy that stare would shake his very core. But it wasn't the pacing that unnerved him. It was that her tiny fingers were curled into fist at the ends of her folded arms.

To Cisco, that was madding.

"Youre brooding." He spoke, sitting down at the Cortex computers.

"It's been an hour since Barry caught Thawne and brought him here." Kane was still pacing, still looking at the screen with the live feed of Thawne's cell. "Joe, the TOP COP himself, has been on him for 45 minutes and Thawne hasn't said a word. Of course, I'm brooding."

"Why are you still in the suit?"

"When we arrived, Thawne was saying something about an event. An event tonight." Kane only grew tenser. "The night isn't over. And I need to find Ricky."

Cisco watched her pace for a few more minutes.

"You're stressed." He caught her hand as she brushed past him.

"You're cute." Kane smirked, fully distracted from her previous anxiety. "And youre attempting to distract me."

"Oh, my sweet summer child." Cisco tsked, leaning back in the computer chair and pulling her with him. "I've already distracted you."

"What do you think the play is?"

"I think they are going to use Ricky as leverage against his father and release all the Metahumans." Cisco theorized. "I called in an anonymous tip to CCPD and they took it very seriously. Added extra security outside of the prison gate."

"But how can Thawne be sure that the Metas would destroy the city? When I was out I got as far away as I could." Kane leaned on the railing. "Unless he made some sort of deal with them."

"That's possible." Cisco groaned. "Any ideas on your end."

"I think he'll release the inmates." Kane shifted from foot to foot. "But there as to be more. Blowtorch, Weather Wizard and Peek-a-boo…Those are very specific people and there are plenty of Metas with a vendetta against the Flash."

"I imaging they were the easiest to buy. Three thieves."

"What if…"

Kane was effectively cut off with a groan of frustration from Joe. The detective walked into the cortex with Barry and Iris hot on his heels.

"Thawne isn't talking." Joe huffed. "We are no closer to finding Ricky or Finding out what his plan is."

"He wants to see the Flash," Barry assured. "Thawne was never going to talk Joe."

"But we cant just wait for him, Barry." Kane sat on the edge of the computer desk, her fist burrowing into her ribs at the ends of crossed arms.

"Well, we cant let him see the Flash." Iris guaranteed.

"What about that thing you pulled off his neck before putting him in the cell?" Kane asked. "What was it?"

"A sapphire pendent on a chain-linked necklace." Harry answered, entering the room right behind Caitlin. Without warning he threw the necklace at Cisco. Which the genius effortlessly, thank you very much, caught.

The stone was clear blue and warm with potential energy. The genius turned it over in his palm a few times…feeling the vibration of the gem. It hummed in his fingertip, a frequency he hadn't encountered. Less than air but more than electricity.

"Well, isn't that fun?" Cisco hummed, studying the gem closer. "It's a power source."

"This must be how Thawne creates those blue beams and that speed." Barry supposed. "How strong is it."

"We have our own voltmeter." Cisco held the gem out to Kane. "How strong do you think that is?"

Kane looked slightly confused for a few seconds before raising her eyebrows in protest. If she could absorb energy then she could measure it. The genius was about 89% certain. With a skeptical tick of her lips, Kane took the gem in both hands.

"Oh," She blinked harshly at Cisco before closing her eyes and focusing on the task at hand. "it's stronger than a lightning bolt. That's for sure."

"Approximately, 80 kA." Harry answered, sounding somewhat fascinated.

"So that's like…enough to get us back to the future or what?"

Cisco beamed at the reference, his nerdy heart beating just a little harder.

"Not enough to whip the DeLorean…" Cisco squeezed her knee. "Which means that Barry is much stronger than that thing because he can time travel."

"Thawne still has speed."

"But no connection to the Speed Force." Caitlin promised the Hero. "That pinpick of blood Barry got for me showed absolutely no evidence of the Speed Force at a molecular level."

Iris gasp as if she just remembered. "Eddie told me about it once. It's his grandfather's pendant."

"I sense story time." Cisco sung.

"Short story." Iris assured. "*Eddie said it was a legend that had been in their family for generations. Apparently, the gem feel out of the sky and his great, great, great grandfather got sucked into the stone. It was a family rumor that the stone could give you powers. Evil powers because the man sucked into the stone wasn't a very good one."

"Well, it's not a legend." Barry quipped.

"Wait, wait I do not pay with demons." Kane threw up her hands, tossing the Azul back to Harry. "So it's a Horecrux."

"Similar." Cisco and Barry corrected.

 _Did Kane know how much he loved Harry Potter?_

"Okay, can we back up here." Kane pleaded. "We need to get Thawne talking."

"The floor is open for ideas." Joe scoffed

"You aren't gonna like it." Kane slid off the table. "Iris."

"No," Joe and Barry boomed in unison.

"Look, this entire thing has been about Eddie. Seeking revenge in his name and all of that." Kane explained, gesturing to Iris with a flourish. "So we cant give him Flash…so what if we give him a reminder of his brother."

"No," Barry reiterated.

"Actually, this is a good idea." Iris chimed. "I could get Thawne to open up."

"Iris are you crazy?" Joe asked.

"Dad, Thawne has an entire rouges gallery of metas that could be carrying out his Takeover Plan as we speak. We cant just sit on our hands."

"I'm not sending you in there with a madman." Joe carried a certain tone of finality.

"She doesn't have to go in alone, I'll go in with her." Kane argued. "He cant get out of that cell anyway."

Cisco bit his lip, a wave of protectiveness washed over him and he forced it down like old cough syrup. Just because Kane could handle herself didn't mean he liked the through of putting her in danger.

"That isn't completely true."

"Time is ticking, superfriends. Any other ideas?" Kane took her time to look around the room.

Cisco had to admit, it was a shot in the dark…with a sowed off shut gun. They were bound to hit something.

To Team Flash gathered around the cortex computers as Iris and Kane ambled into the entry to the pipeline. Kane urged Iris further up the ramp but the journalist hesitated…her unease permeating through the team.

"Breathe," Kane coaxed, pulling her goggles back in place. "Thawne is a bad guy but he is Eddie's brother. Had Eddie been here any longer…you would have been his sister in law."

Iris nodded, silently opening the pipeline and calling the cell.

The man in question was sitting with his knees up, back to the wall. He studied the two women lethargically, his lips curling into a small grin upon recognition.

"Eddie always had an eye for beauty." Thawne breathed, climbing to his feet. "So nice to meet you, Iris. I hear we were almost family."

"Uh, yeah. Yeah we were." Iris breathed, seemingly flustered. "Sorry, I forgot just how much you look like Eddie."

"Two different mothers and we end up sharing our fathers' good looks." Thawne laughed.

"The Flash and Nimbus told me that…"

"Nimbus? It that what youre calling yourself because of that outfit? Nimbus? A cloud? Clouds are harmless." Thawne tsked, glancing at Kane before focusing back on Iris. "And she most certainly is not. Neither is your precious, Flash."

"Malcolm why are you doing this? Why take over the city?" Iris asked.

"You write about The Flash so I assume you have some kind of an 'in' with him. Did he tell you what he did?" Thawne was getting more and more aggravated. "He killed Eddie. My brother and the love of your life."

"Malcolm, the Flash didn't kill Eddie! I was there and Eddie killed himself." Iris told him.

Thawne looked down, his fingers lacing under his chin. His shoulders shook first before the sound bubbled out of his chest. a laugh that started somewhere in his gut and ended up filling the room.

"That's not creepy at all." Cisco balked to the group as they watched on the moniter.

"Oh, Ms. West." Thawne paused his laughing fit. "You cant believe that Eddie would really do that."

"I was there." Iris corrected, more emotion leaking into her voice than her expression would allow.

"You see, he said that this would happen. That you really believed it." Thawne shook his head slowly, a look of pity in his eyes.

"Sorry, I'm not caught up. Who told you that?" Kane spoke up, statue still behind Iris.

"A speedster. He came to me the day I got fired from ARGUS. He told me what had really happened to my brother and how he had been slain by the Flash. About how you would move on, believing that Eddie had sacrificed himself to save the hero. He told me everything. " Thawne's eyes came to life again. "I believe the Flash knows him as Eoboard Thawne."

"Dammit," Barry growled as he leaned closer into the monitor.

"The Reverse-Flash is dead." Kane corrected.

"Funny thing about time travelers. They are pretty damn hard to kill." Thawne moved back into slide down the length of the wall into sitting position.

"Malcolm this isn't what Eddie would have wanted."

"My brother is dead and the dead want nothing." Thawne allowed, closing his eyes and tipping his head back. "It's almost time now. So sorry to drag you into this Iris. You were supposed to get forced onto a plane with my partner and spared…but now you will die like the rest of us."

"Almost time for what?" Iris asked, walking closer to the glass. She croutched down to Thawne's eye level. "Please Malcolm. I just want to know what is going to happen to the city where I met Eddie."

Thawne considered her for a few moments before his eyes softened by a fraction.

"The whole city is going up in flames." Thawne relented. "Eddie really did love you, Iris."

Kane side stepped Iris and called the cell away on the monitor. Cisco made sure the cell registered as closed and locked before addressing the team.

"So this started from the Reserve Flash." The genius groaned. "The man is like a bad penny that we cant seem to lose."

"So two things." Kane called as she rounded the corner into the cortex. "First, the Reverse Flash? you said that he died when Eddie killed himself."

"Not exactly." Cisco answered first.

"No, because Death is clearly too easy a concept." Kane squeaked, lacing her fingers behind her head.

"He's a time remnant." Barry explained

"See, I've heard those words before but never in that sequence." Kane quipped immediately.

Grabbing a marker, Harry started in on his explanation or time remnants. Barry leaned over to Cisco as the group was distracted.

"How is that code coming?"

"After Lyla sent over the file on Thawne, I sent her the code. She promised to have one of her people crack it. Should be back to us within the hour."

"I should have known Eobard Thawne had something to do with this." Barry shook his head slowly. "Who else could have planted that idea in Malcom Thawne's head?"

"Anything is possible, apparently." Cisco snorted just as his phone vibrated violently. He checked the screen and there was a notification of an email from their favorite ARGUS director. "Yahtzee!"

"What?" Caitlin asked, as Cisco had gotten the attention of the entire group.

He scanned the email with quick eyes before addressing the group.

"Lyla sent over a file on Thawne, turns out he worked in human intel."

"That means he worked with prisoners." Kane's head tilted in thought. "Then why didn't I recognize him?"

"You probably never saw all the people involved." Joe supposed.

"I also asked Lyla about the lines of code. She said it was a book code."

"Of course, that was why it looked familiar." Kane gasped. "Book code was something I learned but never used. But which book is…"

"Hydrate." Iris replied

"Somebody give that woman a gold star!" Cisco acknowledged. "It's the name of a book. One that ARGUS found recently, according to this info, in Abe's Amazon purchases and in an account, that's attached to one of Thawne's aliases. Purchases for Carter and Fortune too."

"So can you run another algorithm? Or I can try…" Harry started but Cisco cut him off

"No need, Lyla was nice enough to get it cracked for us." Cisco pointed to the bottom three lines of the file. "Three places with corresponding numbers."

"Shipping yard, 500…Iron Heights,52…and…City Hall,1." Joe called out. "Let's go find out what this means. I'm gonna ask some of my friends at the police stations."

"Good idea." Iris praised. "I know some journalist that deal mostly with the underground. They might know something."

"Nobody leave yet." Kane insisted, spinning away from the board. "There is going to be a bomb!"

"How do you know that?" Joe asked, hos dark eye brows pulling together.

"ARGUS." Kane and Barry said together.

"Why does everything come back to ARGUS?" Cisco grumbled. "Arent they supposed to be a secret argency?"

"Thawne said the city is going up 'in flames'." Kane folded her arms tightly across her chest. "In Intel we identified bombed cities as places that went up 'in flames'."

"And you chose not to lead with that when we came back to the cortex?" Iris was incredulous.

"Sorry, I was distracted my time-traveling villians that never die."

"Blowtorch designs bombs." Cisco chimed.

"That's got to be their plan." Caitlin concluded.

Cisco took a breath but was unable to release it as loud BOOM jarred the air out of his chest. A sound that caused the windows to rattle against the building like thunder.

"Sounds like the party is here." Kane quipped as Cisco pulled up traffic cams.

"Oh no." The genius was panicking. "We've got a double feature. A bomb just went off downtown and at Iron heights."

"Get down to the prison and help the CCPD hold the line!" Barry ordered Kane. "I'll be there as fast as I can."

With a nod of understanding, the two sprang into action immediately. Barry speeding out of the building. Kane running at fill tilt down the hall and leaping down the stairwell to get outside. Unlike before there was zero hesitation in her frame as she launched into the air.

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

I had never been involved in a rescue mission. Wasn't really the Task Force's objective. However, understood containment was very easy to understand. I leaped into the air, flying to the prison and landed on the roof of one of the swat trucks, still standing, in the chaos of a freshly detonated bomb. The air felt heavy with static, debris and the humidity after an explosion. The scent of smoke lingered in the misplaced breeze, somehow making my tongue taste charged. Main street to Iron heights was bright with the flood of emergency lights…a strong juxtaposition to the dim situation. It was jarring that at this point last year, I saw beauty in this chaos. There was nothing beautiful about…

"Kane!" Cisco called through the comms, truly snapping me out of the trance.

The Swat team was looking up at me with expression somewhere in between confusion and exasperation. I jumped off the truck and landed on the road without a thud.

"Nimbus, reporting for duty." I rose to my full height. "Who's the boss?"

"Newberry," A man stepped forward and dipped his head to me. " Joe West called ahead. He says you're a friendly."

"He's right. The bomb blew apart the prison and We have to hold the line." I looked behind me as the roar of freed prisoners threaten out drown my voice out. "Tell your team to spread out. Just because the bomb blasted the gate open doesn't mean everyone will use the same door."

"Ma'am. I don't take orders from you." Newberry replied.

"And I don't fight alongside cops." I rebuttal, turning on my heels and rolling the biggest ball of smoke I could form like a bowling ball…knocking down about half of the running prisoners. "Looks like we are all out of our element."

Newberry blinked twice at my powers before turning and barking orders to his team. There was a warbling sound behind me and I looked over my shoulder to see a fully suited Cisco and Dr. Wells…sporting his infamous shoulder cannon…stepping through a portal. I couldn't exactly focus on the weirdness of that because I was busy knocking the remaining prisoners back twenty yards with giant balls of smoke.

"Damn." Vibe breathed. "That's a whole lot of angry we gotta deal with."

"My team is ready." Newberry nodded to his people. One acting as a sniper on top of the van, four two the far left, four to the far right and another flanking Newberry.

"Bullets?" Wells asked.

"Tranquilizer darts. Rubber Bullets if we need them."

A second wave of prisoners came running out of the rubble and we closing distance much more quickly.

"The power inhibitors?" I asked, drawing back my hands.

"Off line." The man beside Newberry answered.

I sent another blast of smoke as Cisco shot vibrations through the air. Several prisoners were knock away by sheer force, pummeling them into other Metas. Yet, it wasn't enough to keep them all at bay. I felt more than heard the tranq darts fly though the air and instantly dropping some of their targets. Other darts bounced off one meta and paralyzed another. I felt the air electrify and I glanced a look upward just in time to push Dr. Wells and his shoulder cannon out of the way.

"What the…" Vice gasped, looking upward as well. Mardon was perched on top of the watch tower. "Weather Wizard."

"I've got him."

With a leap, I flew upwards and toward the roof of the watch tower. I flattened my body out and powered right to him…swinging to the left and narrowly avoiding a torrid gust of wind that he directed. Finding purchase on the lapels of his jacket, I swung him around and smashed the watch tower window with the momentum of his body. Wizard and I landed on the floor of the tower in a heap and I found myself face to face with a tied up guard. Mardon started to climb to his feet but I blew them away with a small blast of smoke.

The wizard was quick, rolling to his side and pouncing on top of me. A solid punch landed on my face before he harnessed more energy from the sky, creating storm clouds. Fist to the ribs bent him over far enough for me to grab his shoulder and squeeze with all my considerable strength. . The bones cracked under my hands with a very satisfying crunch before I pushed him off me. His scream of pain bounced off the walls of the tower.

"Nobody else needs to get hurt tonight." I told him.

"You're that girl that Fox told me about, from the station this morning." Mardon climbed to his feet. "Ka…"

"It doesn't matter who I am. You are not taking over the city." I promised, slipping into a fighting stance. "Surrender and I'll let you stay awake."

With a smile that somehow hardened his features, Mardon began to pull more energy into his body. I punched him hard enough in the nose that he full unconsciously to his feet.

"Nimbus?" Vibe's voice called over the comms.

"Go for Nimbus."

"The situation down here is contained." Wells hummed.

"Yeah, well. The Wizard is taking a little nap until CCPD comes to get him."

"Great." Vibe replied. " 'cause we are needed elsewhere."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

Admittedly, the fact that my boyfriend could open portals and jump through them was a bit unsettling. But then again, I could throw lightening and measure power…so I didn't have much room to talk. He pulled me though a portal from the prison that led to the shipping yard. While Flash, Wells and the Rest of the superfriends worked on clean-up…Cisco and I went to find treasure in the shipping yard.

"Alright," I breathed as I got my barring. "The cargo is organized by numbers, So lets start at looking for 500."

Cisco nodded in agreement as we made our way through the yard, guided only by the dim lights placed around the place. I searched the numbers, hyper alert because Cisco was out with me. Everyone in STAR labs had a file…even Cisco. Not that I had ever stalked him or anything but I was learning the Meta files. He could control vibrations…use them…feel them. He could create blast, portals and see into the future. But he could hardly fight. Not as good as me… that was an unfair comparison as I had been formally trained. He wasn't as good as Barry but, I suspected, better than Cait.

"Youre worried," Cisco acknowledged.

I didn't respond…it wasn't the time to get distracted. Although, I couldn't help but admire his Vibe Suit. I couldn't fully look at the suit at the prison with Metas barreling down on us. Red, black and yellow were nice compliments to his honey complexion. The leather-esque material appeared flexible but still hugged him closely. As I took in the way it made him look stronger, older, serious and even more handsome than usual…I wondered how to get a few similar clothes into his wardrobe.

Focus, Nimbus.

"That's not suspicious at all." Vibe scoffed, drawing me back. There at the very end of the first section of the yard was a lone container.

"We're getting warmer."

"It's locked." He acknowledged, creeping forward. "Could this be the key that Fortune had?"

"Probably is, but if Team Evil is working with Metas…why did they need a key?" I asked, giving the lock one tug that really didn't require much effort.

"Damn, girl." My boyfriend gasped as if he had forgotten how strong I was.

"Locks only deter honest people and those without inhuman powers."

Pulling back the door to the unit, a dim light shined down on a dark figured tied to a chair and a large square metal box behind him. I didn't need to look very hard

"Ricky," I breathed.

His head was down at a weird angle, clothes torn and completely drenched in sweat. Vibe approached and took his pulse.

"He's breathing, just out." He assured, tapping his chest for the comm. "We've found Ricky."

"Alive?" Joe asked.

"Yes," I answered, lifting Ricky's chin and gritting my teeth at the blood, bruises, and debris that smeared his handsome features. "Ricky?"

He stirred under my fingertips as Vibe moved to inspect the metal box. Ricky blinked once…twice…and a third time before focusing on me.

"Who are you?" Ricky asked, barely able to keep his gaze focused.

"Nimbus. I work with the Flash."

"They'll kill him," Ricky groaned, getting a bit of his fight back starting to struggle against the handcuffs. "It's a…it's a…"

"Bomb." Vibe gasped, having opened the box. I looked up to see the continets of the box glowing green.

Of course it was a bomb. Of course, the night was just getting better and I voiced my frustration as such.

"Of course it's a bomb. Of course, the night is just getting better." I left Ricky's side to peer down into the box. The system was a complicated mix of wires, lights and a green liquid that honestly looked like koolaid. There was a clock display on top but that appeared to be off.

"Can we disarm it?" Flash asked through the comms.

"Only Fox can disarm these things." I answered. "He uses a fingerprint scanner."

"If we go through these wires…carefully…I should be able to disconnect the detonator."

"Damn." I let out a shaky breath. We were about to disarm a bomb. "How it this for a second date?"

"That would be really funny if we weren't dealing with a bomb." Vibe huffed in my direction.

One of his hands crept forward as if the box would explode if he touched it. Honestly that was quite possible.

A loud crash on the roof of the container shocked the breath out of the three of us.

"DIOS MIO!" Vibe yelped.

"Nope. Not God. Just a change of plans."

Mouthing 'silent' at Ricky, I crept out of the container with Vibe right on my heels. Evan Fox…because the night was only getting better…was crouched right on the edge of the container with a sickening smile on his face.

"I was told that you had yourself a new toy." Fox rose to his full height on top of the container and considered Vibe carefully. "Now I see. I am too pasty for you."

"Nothing to do with the fact you're a cold blooded killer."

"Ooh, sassy this one." He hiccupped a laugh. "Wasn't sure if you liked them like that. Comparing to the ex."

"Youre gonna pay for that." I promised

"No, I wont." He shook his head and dropped off the crate, a hand tucked neatly in his pocket. "You should know man…Seeing you with her put you right to the top of my shit-list."

"This has all gone on far enough, Fox." I snarled. "It ends now."

I made a move toward him and Fox stepped away quickly…brandishing a funky looking flip phone. I stopped my pursuit and prayed that wasn't the detonator. I pulled a deep breath in and planted my feet in the ground. As big as that bomb is…I couldn't let it go off.

"Not so fast Kane." He tsked. "Im the only thing keeping this phone together. So If I stop applying pressure for any reason…boom."

"Flash?" Vibe whispered into the comms.

"On my way."

"Oh and tell your friends not to get any ideas." Fox clicked his tongue. "I turned the front screen into a finger print scanner."

"What do you want, Fox?" I asked.

"Just you."

"Keep Dreaming, Smokey the Bear."

"Vibe?" his name tasted sweet on my lips. "Take Ricky and get him safe."

"I'm not going to leave you."

"It's fine, Fox just wants to talk." I assured, absolutely uncertain of Fox's next move. My stomach was turning and my teeth threatened to rattle. Almost tasting the danger that set in.

"Princess." Fox didn't speak until Cisco and Ricky were gone. "You know what this feels like?"

"Paris, the first face off." I answered, watching him like a hawk. We had trained beside each other. Come into our powers together. I was stronger, we both new that. I had more skill, we need that too. Fox was sneakier and smarter, we knew that too.

And We both knew that I could take him down. I had to be quicker than him, I would have to be unrelenting. First, I had to find an opening. Fox was constantly moving in an effort to make that difficult. Difficult but not impossible. All I had to do was keep his hand on that phone.

Darkly, I thought about taking the entire arm.

"Yes, before I killed those two boys. You had a perfect chance to put a slug in my face." Fox held up his empty hand like a gun and pointed the barrel at me. "Why didn't you take it."

"Those weren't my orders." I thought of jumping on him but changed my mind on account of his bent knees and bowed arms. He was expecting it.

"That really is what you are. A follower." Fox chuckled, sizing me up for his own opening. "Taking orders from Waller. Now taking orders from the Flash."

"Give it up, Fox." I told him, sliding just inches forward. "This is something you cant win."

"You really did pick the wrong side. This entire time I was hoping the two of us could get along. Especially since I just got hired for another hit job?"

"Another?" I raised an eyebrow, but wouldn't let myself become distracted. "Was it you who killed those men after I questioned them?"

He chuckled as confirmation.

"Kane, we don't have to do this. Let the Flash and Thawne fight over the city. I have a hit job that will pay off big. If you come with me, we could split the fee." He stopped circling and remained ready. "Somebody wants your foster dad dead."

"Tell them to take a number." I replied, readying to engage the fight.

"You wanna know why I think you didn't take that shot?"

"Nope."

"Cause, you and I are the same."

"I'll have to disagree."

Fox sized me up again.

"Youre a killer, you're a predator. There is no need to deny it. There is no need to hide it. Being with them is only going to dull you." Fox smiled even wider. "Like right now. You're so dulled that you are ignoring your own instincts."

"Ignoring the instinct to kill you is control." I insisted.

"What about the one that tells you that youre in Big, Big, trouble?" Fox tossed the phone from one hand to the next.

My blood ran cold in my veins and my breath sounded too loud in my ears. He was bluffing about he cell phone being the detonator. He was bluffing and I couldn't see it.

"You didn't."

"A fingerprint scanner in this old contraption. Did you really buy that?"

Turning on my heels, I busted back into the container and scrambled over to the glowing box.

 _Shit_

 _Shit_

 _shit_

"Superfriends?"

"Kane, what's happening." Well's voice responded first.

"Fox turned on the bomb." I forced my voice not to quake. "The phone was a bluff and I fucking bought it."

"How much time do we have?" Caitlin asked.

"15 seconds until the bomb detonates."

"What?" everyone yelled.

"There was just an enormous power surge centralized in that area." Cisco groaned.

"That would be this green liquid getting sucked into the wires." I answered as I watched the coating on the wires absorb the liquid.

"Kane, I'm coming." Barry and Cisco yelled.

There wasn't time. Barry might have been the fastest man alive but he couldn't clear the blast radias. And Cisco…

But I could do something. I could absorb the blast.

"No, both of you stay back." I was removing my vest and gloves.

"Kane do not do this." Wells instructed, guessing my game. "She's gonna try to absorb the blast."

"Kane we don't know if you can handle that much energy." Cisco reminded. I couldn't ignore the panic in his voice.

"We're gonna find out."

To be honest, I wasn't sure I could absorb this much energy. My core trembled.

"I can carry it away!" Barry sounded like he was sprinting.

"You wont clear the blast." I promised.

Six seconds.

"Harry!?" Cisco yelled into the piece.

"I'm not seeing another way to disarm it!" he answered back.

 _Five_

I took a deep breath.

"Kane, a blast that size could kill you." Caitlin cried.

 _Four_

"It could take out part of the City." I released the breath I was holding. "Barry, Cisco… you have got to stay back."

 _Three_. There was a warbling sound and I knew that Cisco and Barry were at the door to the container.

"This isn't redemption, Kane!" Barry bellowed. "It's retribution."

So be it.

 _Two._ With all my strength, I blasted smoke at the two, knocking them back almost twenty yards.

"Kane?" Cisco begged, my heart raced at his voice.

"I'm sorry, Cisco." I turned to get another look at him…if this was the last.

One.


	20. Part the Clouds

a/n: Thank you all for sticking with me though this story! Being able to write and receive feedback, follows and suggestions made me a better story teller. Really thank you! So, this chapter really got away from me. I was sort of writing to be therapeutic with the passing of my father and well…this finale spun out! Settle in cause it's a long one. I really hope you like it! Let me know!

-Lex

My body was swaying. Well, not swaying but a light rock back and forth. I kept my eyes closed and used my other senses…I was laying on my side, something soft under me and over me. Warm on all sides. A bed? Taking a deep whiff, I decided that the place smelled familiar but I couldn't quite pinpoint it. something between the oily smell old books had, cotton and disinfectant. I pulled in another whiff and the motion of my body became much more demanding.

That smell, I knew that smell…

My eyes popped open and my mind struggled to take in what I saw.

"Dad?" I asked the man in front of me.

His hair was thin but full of very dark red curls that were always cut down very low. Professionalism and all of that. His features long, thin and so classically Irish. His green eyes…my green eyes staring back at me. The edges of those lids threatening to crinkle as he smiled.

"Finally, lazy bones, your awake. You would sleep all day if you let me." Dad shook my hip once more before heaving himself off the bed. "Get up, _A stóirín,_ your mama needs help in the kitchen."

I knew very few words in Gaelic but A stóirín meant 'my little treasure'. Something Dad would call me very often…yet I had the feeling that I hadn't heard it in a very long time. Chills prickled up my spine as I drunk him in.

"Kay? Is something wrong?" He asked, turning at the door way. An expression of concern painting his features.

 _Yes, Dad. Something was very wrong._

"I feel like I'm missing something. Like there is something I'm supposed to remember." I answered. My voice sounded…wrong. Too smooth for me to have just woken up.

"Another Nightmare? You should really see someone about that." He placated. "You've been having them since the accident."

Dad went out of the door and left me to my own devices. I took in my surroundings for the first time. It was my room. Walls painted yellow and decorated with posters of Usher, Justin Timberlake and various pieces of my own art work. A poorly organized wooden desk and a dotting of stuff animals and clothes across the hardwood floor.

Again, something wasn't right. This was my room. It felt familiar yet…oddly removed from the present. Like stepping into an abandoned building.

Climbing out of my bed, I took in my appearance at the standing mirror. I looked…like shit. My eyes were droopy and dark. My curls didn't have enough bounce and I was dressed in sweats from CCU. I crept out of the room, to the left and down ten steps. The staircase let out into the den just as I suspected…this was my house after all.

"Hey my sleepy girl." My mama's voice, still a little bite from her accent, washed over the room.

She stood opposite of me at the door to the kitchen…just as beautiful as always. Her skin and her eyes were a deep chocolate and I had always coveted that complexion. Where my dad's hair was thinning, mama had midnight colored dreads that fell down her back in a lazy cascade. She was short and curvy with a face of bold features and a voice of windchimes. Dad always insisted that I had gotten all my features rom her. Barely breaching five feet. Doe-ish eyes. Plush lips and high cheekbones.

I had always hoped to grow into the woman my mother was.

"Mama?" I choked out, her nose crinkled in concern.

"I told you, Shay." Dad tsked from behind his 'Word Search' book. "She's acting strange."

"Do you feel alright?" Mama asked, leaning on the back of the beige suede love seat that matched the rest of the room. "Would you like some tea."

I looked took in my surrounding before I answered. To my right was an enormous TV and entertainment center which faced the sofa, the love seat, a coffee table as well as a leather arm chair where Dad was currently sitting. The room was sparsely decorated with strategically placed pictures and family photographs.

"No, something, isn't right." I sighed, reaching up to rub my forehead.

A make on my wrist caught my attention and I brought that hand down slowly. Two roman numeral nines' were tattooed into my skin. Without thinking, I pushed my shirt up to reveal matching tattoos on my stomach.

What the…

Memories hit me hard enough that I had to catch myself on the rail of the staircase. _Car accident. Tajsa. Abe. Abuse…never ending, Abuse. Another Accident. Metahuman. ARGUS. Killing, Murder…pain, so much pain. Lyla. Freedom. Metahumans-Central City-my sister. More Abe. The Flash, The Superfriends, Nimbus…and Cisco._ _ **Cisco-Cisco-Cisco**_

Then there was a bomb.

"Am I dead?" I asked, noting that my voice sounded labored. I looked back to the figures that were supposed to be my parents. They look at me which matching sad eyes.

"I told you she would figure it out Richard." Mama hummed, shooting a glare toward Dad.

"I knew, I just hoped we would have more time with her." Dad put down his puzzle book and reached for my mama's hand.

"Am I dead?" I asked again, louder this time.

"No, my child. You are alive. Your just locked in your head." Mama answered, crossing the space but not touching me. "Come out to the garage with me? We'll wax. We'll talk."

Slowly, my feet carried me across the room and through the door that I knew led to the garage.

"Why am I trapped in my head?" I asked, taking a seat on the wooden work table.

"You shouldn't have tried to absorb that bomb, girl." She tsked, not even turning around as she began to wax the red paint. "What were you thinking? You aren't invincible."

"I know that and I wasn't thinking. I saw and I reacted." I snapped at the figment of my imagination that was my mother.

"WE both know that wasn't true." She spared me a glance as she started to wax the hood of the car. I got more comfortable on the bench

"I couldn't." I sighed and relented because I had never been able to lie to my parents. Not even my imagination's version. "I couldn't let the city get blown apart."

"It's not something you could have prevented. At any point. This was all Thawne and Fox's…"

"I should have made sure Fox was dead in France."

Mama studied me with endless brown eyes as she kept her motions consistent.

"So, Killing is acceptable as long as there is a purpose?"

"No," I answered, watching her apply an unhealthy amount of wax to the buffing towel."But if I wasn't just blindly following orders. If I hadn't been a coward then I would have saved so many people pain…"

"A coward? I thought you weren't scared of anything, huh?" Mom was challenging me but why lie to my imagination-mom.

"A coward. I was scared while I was with ARGUS." I breathed my heart pounding as I pretended to focus on her work. "I was scared to never see my sister again. I was scared to get blown apart and die."

"Girl, being scared doesn't make you a coward." She said in that soothing voice as she stood back to inspect her work. "Building walls around yourself so high that nobody can climb them makes you a coward."

"I build walls to protect myself."

"Well, you do have one person wanting to tear down those walls " Mama joked, wagging her eyebrows.

"Really? The first time I see you in years and we talk about guys?" I sneered. "man I have no imagination."

"As much as I hate to be a statistic." Mama rolled her eyes. "I will not let my daughter's first love go without discussion."

"First Love?" I sputtered on the word a little bit.

"You deny it, girl?" Mama rose to her full height and opened the driver's side door for me. I slid in as she went to the other side. The two of us sat in silence until I realized that she was waitin on me.

"Cisco is a good man." I sighed. "He is kind, intelligent, brave. He is…someone I want to be better for…"

"But?"

"I don't love him. We haven't even been together a week!" I slammed my hands against the steering wheel. "I haven't had the chance to learn to love him."

"Your dad and I were together less than three months before he called me his nine." Mama hummed. "You don't think you can love him until you see it all. The high and lows. How he is when he is angry or sad, anything like that. I think you complicate the process."

"How did you know when you loved, Dad?"

"For me. I knew I loved your dad when I tried to picture myself without him. To picture my day without being able to call him. Without being able to joke with him. Without asking his advice or wrapping my arms around him when things became…just a bit too much." Mama's voice dropped to a whisper and she sounded haunted by the very idea. "The way you are with him. With Cisco. You've only been with him a week but you already hold him in your heart."

I was not going to take her words and apply them to the way I feel about Cisco.

"Love is a choice, mama. Just like everything else."

"Kane, do you love me? Your Dad? Tajsa?"

"Of course,. I love you so much!" I cried. How could she ask something like that?

"As I love you. More than you can even imagine, Kane." She smiled easily. "But I never chose to love you. I never decided that I would love you. Love is a choice, yes, but it isn't all the time. Sometimes you fall in love with a person before you even know it."

"So it's that easy? Just falling in love with him?"

"Don't get me wrong, girl. It's easy to fall in love. It's work to stay in love. Sometimes its storms. Hell, with your dad and I, it was even a few tornados." Mama chuckled distractedly. "But when you love them a little rain isn't enough to drown you."

I wrung my hands as she talked…was I able to have that type of relationship? Could I learn to feel that way about another person. If I could want Cisco through all the storms and bullshit? If I could love him when it hurt to do so?

"You don't think you love him yet. That's fine, take your time. It's not a race. But listen up!" Mama tapped the dash board to earn my full attention. "You'd be a fool to hold back from loving that man, Kane. And youre no fool."

"You said I was trapped in my head." I sucked on my teeth as I saved her words in the back of my mind. "You never answered my question. Why am I here?"

"Your body could absorb that blast, yes. However, your mind…" Mama sat back again and regarded me carefully. "Think of this as a crossroads. Youre here to chose, Kane."

"Choose what?"

"You aren't done with your life…not by a long shot. But if you return then things must change. You have to change." Mama smiled gently. "Or you may choose to stay here. With your father and I."

"You mean die."

"For lack of better terms." She rolled her deep brown eyes. "If you choose to leave, you'll have to talk to your father."

Pulling wipes from the glove compartment, mama began to clean the inside as the silence stretched. Greedily, I drunk in another look at her. When I was a little girl I had always envisioned having my mama by my side as I grew into my own woman. That dream had been stolen from me and I was always angry about that. As if the world had cheated me out of something other girls were given. But if she (or atleast her memory) was in my head all along…had she ever really left me.

"I love you, mama." I wanted to reach out and wrap my arms around her but I knew that she wasn't real. "But I cant stay."

"I know." She blinked, giving me a watery smile. "You dad is in his study."

I forced myself out of the car and back into the house. Dad's study was technically the guest room that we had converted into a work area. I rounded the kitchen and knocked on the door at the end of the short hallway. Dad grumbled something like 'enter' and I pushed through the entry.

He was seated at a big mahogany desk, pouring over a medical journal as he so often did. I took a second to take in the room. White walls with beige carpeting and a few potted flowers. Behind the desk, Dad had a ceiling to floor bookcase of journals, textbooks, periodicals or anything. Over to my right was the family computer and a filing cabinet of 'important papers' that I hadn't been l hadnt enough to care about. Snatching the back of the rolling computer chair, I pulled up to the other side of the desk.

"I've done everything you asked." I grunted impatiently. "I protected my sister and me. I've taken leaps of faith and I've never ever forgotten you."

"Very good, Kay." Dad didn't look up from his journal. "But you didn't do everything."

"What could I have possibly missed?" I asked his dark red curls.

"I told you to do something very important you have consistently ignored it." He looked up from his journal and took off his black reading glasses. "Do you remember?"

I thought about it for a sec.

"You told me to be happy." I snorted.

"And you aren't."

"I'm kinda trapped in my head right now."

"That's fair." He chuckled, putting his medical journal away and giving me his full attention. "But I mean in general."

"No, I'm not happy. I've never been concerned with being happy. I just want to be safe." I told him, trying not to growl at my imaginary dad. "I just want to be safe for once since you died! Since Mama died! That car accident changed everything, Dad! The two of you weren't here anymore and I had to grow up. I had to stand up to a man that beat me every day until I moved out of his house. I had to protect Tajsa! I…I…I had to protect myself!"

I took a deep breath as I realized that I was screaming at my imagianary father

"You never mourned us. You never allowed yourself that. You bottled it up and it ate you from the inside out." Dad's mossy eyes studied me deeply. Rage and torment mixing in his irises. "Look at you. There is so much pain in you."

Being unable to talk about mourning my parent, I stood and paced around the study. The wall on the left hand side of his desk had family pictures. A few of him as a child with the estranged racist family that I had never met. More with him and mama and several with just the two of us. In one picture, I was seated on his lap as I tore open birthday presents. Another with him teaching me how to ride a bike. Several of us putting together enormous puzzles.

"You are so much like your mother. She would come in here and just stare at those photographs." He hummed. "she insisted I had to limit the pictures or I would use the entire wall."

"You know, I would get jealous of the things my friends and classmates did with their dad. Father and daughter dances. Dad teaching them to drive, dad waiting up after their first date. I never had that…even with Abe. I used to wonder if it was me. If I was just that kind of girl that didn't get to be someone's little princess. If maybe I hadn't done…something…correctly and I was being punished for that."

"Kane, you have to know that isn't true. I was…I was taken from you before I should have been. But you were and are my princess. My daughter." Dad supplied. "Have a seat, Kay."

I did as I was told. My heart thumping at being called 'daughter'.

"You've caused a lot of pain. Havent you?"

"Yes," I breathed, closing my eyes to not see his disappointment. "I've got double digits in confirmed kills and there is honestly no way of knowing exactly how many people are dead because of me."

"Your skills are amazing." Dad drummed on the table. "In less than five months, they were able to teach you how to use your powers and to fight. I cant believe you picked it up so fast."

"I didn't go in completely untrained. I had a bit of boxing training so it wasn't really a hard transition." I still didn't look up from picking at my nails. "And I'm still learning new ways to use my powers. I can fly…so that's cool."

"Kane Nadia McMillian, don't you dare hang your head." Dad snapped and I straightened immediately. "Are you ashamed of who you are?"

There wasn't an easy answer to that.

"Of who I was." I answered. My chin still high. "I was a murder."

"You are a survivor."

"I am a survivor that ended a lot of lives."

"Yes, you did. You have ended lives, you've torn apart families." Dad sighed, pushing back his thinning hair. "So…what are you gonna do about."

"I'm going to save them." My looked right in his eyes. Green on Green. "I'm going to save as many lives as I can. I'm going to make you proud."

"Make me proud, huh?" He nodded to himself for a while. "Everything you do is for someone else, Kay."

"Yeah…"

"How can you truly commit to something if you aren't doing it for yourself."

"There is nothing wrong with honoring your memory." I answered, grinding my teeth.

"I'm not saying there is. I'm saying that if you want to save, be a champion, be a hero…then you have got to want that for yourself. You have to find a purpose that fits, Kane."

"I wasn't a position before to do that." I agreed. "But now, things are different now."

"Make me a promise." Dad implored, leaning onto the desk.

"I've been making you promises since I was born." I scoffed but still smiled in his direction.

Dad smiled back, his eyes twinkling and crinkling at the edges.

"From now on, you will live for you. Not for me or your mother. Not for your sister or for the messed-up world. Promise me that you will start taking care of yourself: physically, mentally and emotionally."

"I Promise, Dad." I vowed. "Now, how do I get out.

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDXCDXC

Cisco wasn't sure he had ever had Déjà vu before this moment. However, he had been in this exact moment. Well something very similar. He had seen Barry in his very same bed. Laid out, barely breathing, not moving a muscle.

Cisco had seen the bomb explode. A bundle of fire and a flourish of metal as it broke away in response to the explosion. if you viewed it from a third party standpoint, the whole thing was beautiful. Kane stood there in her suit burning away as she absorbed the energy under her skin. For a half of a second she became one with the air and energy. Fusing with the storm of fire.

It was beautiful, it was terrifying.

But most of all…heartbreaking.

Kane knees had bulked under her as she absorbed the last of it. Barry was there before she could even hit the dirt…Kane body jerking as if she was being elasticated. Barry took off toward STAR Labs and Cisco moved, mechanically, through a portal…meeting him there. The speedster was yelling, Begging Caitlin to do anything she could to save Kane.

Cisco replayed that moment in his head over and over. Until he realized that it had been him screaming and begging her to save Kane. In fact, Cisco remembered Barry grabbing him by the shoulders and hauling him out of Caitlin's way as she worked. In hindsight, Cisco should have been able to help. He was a scientist. He had designed the suit that partially protected her. However, he had been useless. Helpless.

Hours later…Caitlin came back and said that Kane was stable but not out of the woods. That she had almost no brain activity. A week later, Caitlin had said that Kane's body was in good condition and had mostly come back from absorbing a life-ending amount of energy. Caitlin had done all she could…the rest was up to Kane.

Now it was the fourth week and Kane was still asleep.

He was here every day by her bedside everyone had dropped in. Caitlin habitually checked her vitals and other medical stuff. The doctor also combed her hair, kept her teeth clean and her nails nice. Iris and wally came as a group; usually came in to hold her hand and talk to Kane about Tajsa or her car. Iris kicked Cisco out on a regular basis too. Even Harry popped in…although he never had much to say and mostly hovered. Joe stood near the door most times, casing a gaze of fatherly concern and regret over Kane. One day, He asked Cisco if he knew the extent of Abe's abuse…if Kane had told him?

"I know that it was nearly daily." Cisco answered. "I know that he preferred to lock her in a closet."

"I did some digging and talked to a few of the cops that would have responded to the 'alleged' Domestic violence." Joe huffed and stepped further into the room. Running a hand over his thinning hair. "Apparently, Abe's abuse was as a best kept secret amongst a very small circle. Kane's teachers and other staff at the school had made a few reports of textbook signs of abuse. Changes in behavior, fear of going home, injuries that she couldn't explain. When CPS investigated, Abe provided documentation that Kane was in a plethora of boxing and martial arts classes."

"Kane said she didn't learn to fight until she was in her late teens." Cisco thought back to a comment he had overheard. "And she had to sneak around to learn."

"Exactly. Then the abuse only got worse and they knew but nobody said anything. I didn't know. I had never heard a bad word about Abe Callan. I…" Joe shook his head sadly. "Cisco, I found hospital reports where Kane was 15 with a broken wrist, twisted ankle, cracked ribs and a shattered jaw. He probably threw her down a staircase. Multiple times."

Cisco could rip his hair out.

"How?" the genius cried. "How could he do that to children he is supposed to care for?"

Neither of them had an answer at the time.

"Why won't you come back to me?" Cisco asked, as he came in to check on her. Again. After he first two weeks, Iris explained to him that hovering over Kane every moment was creepy and ill-advised.

"She isn't gone yet." Tajsa was walking through the door of the med bay, shuffling over to kiss Kane's forehead.

Tajsa had been there every single day. Dutifully doing her homework or holding her sister's hand with that same brooding expression that Kane had. They hadn't told Tajsa all that much, just that Kane had tried to sacrifice herself to stop a bomb. That she had absorbed enough energy and radiation that she could die. Tajsa had gritted her teeth and nodded, asking for a moment with her sister.

And the girl hadn't let one tear drop. At least not in Star Labs. But… Wally and Tajsa shared a wall and the young man had reported hearing her cry most nights to Cisco and Barry.

She was just like her sister. Tajsa even studied him with a similar calculating expression.

"It hurts… Losing her." The girl sat in the leather arm chair and sighed. "Believe me, I know."

"I cant image mourning someone and they come back…just to have this happen…"

"Pain, Ice, pain." Tajsa sighed, looking at her sister with very sad. "You realize they are gone and it hurts. It hurts so damn bad that you can hardly breathe and then you start to get used to the pain. People think that pain isn't something that you can get used to but it is. And then they come back. That's the ice. It feels better and starts the healing and that stuff. But that can burn too if you aren't careful."

"What do you mean?"

"Like how you cant put ice directly on your skin for too long…you can pretend like that person can just swoop in and pick up all your broken pieces. You gotta let them see those cracks." Tajsa looked up and held Cisco gaze. "So when she comes back you have to tell her how much it hurts. You gotta do that for you. If not she wont know those cracks are there until it starts to crack a little deeper."

Cisco filed that advice away for later

"And the second wave of pain?"

"I'll let you know." Tajsa deadpanned and reached into her backpack…pulling out a '101 Word Search' book.

"Hey," Barry acknowledged as he came into the room. He idled at the end of Kane's bed with a helpless expression. Kane had become Cisco's girlfriend but was edging on becoming one of Barry's best friends. "Anything new?"

"Not a flutter." Cisco told him. "But you know Kane does things in her own time."

"Like deciding to play the hero out of the blue." Barry took in a shaky breath.

"W-O-W" Tajsa drawled, not looking up from her puzzle. "My sister is not a hero."

"She's been saying that since the first day I met her."

"Then maybe you should be listening." Tajsa scoffed, closing her book with much more force than needed. "What do you two know about before the accident? Before she…went away?"

"Not much." Cisco admitted.

"It's kind of a rough outline." Barry continued. "WE know about your parents, somewhat about Kane and Abe, College…"

"Did you know that Kane took every single beating that was for me. As far back as I could remember, If Abe was upset about something I did…Kane did something way worse. Something to get his attention and keep his attention. I never saw her cry, scream, hide or run. Never. Not in over ten years."

"Kane does her crying in private." Cisco said by way of agreement.

"I know." Tajsa nodded solemnly, the movement making her seem twice her age. "I guess it was easier to go down a 'bad path' and be a troublesome child. Always into something. Always causing a problem and acting out. So…If you didn't look to closely…if you didn't know the extent of the abuse went way past discipline, it would seem like her and Abe's strained relationship was all her fault."

Cisco didn't speak to that.

"Then she died and she went somewhere. And they did something to her. Something bad." She sat on the bed. "So she had to do something worse because that's the only way to balance the scales. As if she can justify any of their actions."

"Balance the scales." That was a flashback for a certain genuis

"That's what she likes. The scales balanced." Tajsa chuckled darkly and without humor.

"Redemption." Barry groaned.

"Yep. Because whatever she did while she was away…it changed her. It changed the game."

"Youre loosing me." Cisco jumped back into the conversation.

"When the scales were unbalanced she added more weight. Did something worse to balance it out, you know." Tajsa shook her head.

"Tajsa that doesnt make sense." Cisco shook his head. "Two wrongs don't make a right."

"It makes you even." She deadpanned. "You don't need to be right. If 'right' has the same score as 'wrong'."

Yes, the McMillian sisters were hardly different.

"Whatever she did while she was gone. She cant out do it. She cant add any more Bad.." Tajsa pulled her legs up to her chest and looked over at her sister.

"So Kane starts doing some good. Like stopping a mugging. Like becoming Nimbus." He scoffed. "Like absorbing a bomb knowing it could kill her."

"My sister isn't a hero." Tajsa was shaking her head. "She's a Sin-eater."

"Sin-eater?" Barry questioned.

"She'll take your sins and consume them. Make them her own and try take all of the blame away from you." Tajsa turned to Cisco and smiled. "It's who she is; Who she has always been. So no matter how much you love her that isn't going to change."

"We aren't…I'm not…who said anything about…"

"Oh please. I'm sickly, not stupid." Tajsa rolled her big green eyes. "And I grew up in a house with a man who wasn't capable of love and a sister that avoided it like the plague. So, I know when it's present."

"Any ideas on how to get her to wake up?" Barry asked Tajsa, distracting from Cisco.

"Nope." She popped the 'p'. "Must be a pretty good dream."

"A dream," Barry said thoughtfully. "She's dreaming."

"what?" Cisco knew that tone. That was his 'I'm-working-on-something-that-might-be-crazy-enough-to-work' voice.

"Ah, Cisco. Can I talk to you in the Cortex a minute." Barry mumbled.

With an eyebrow arched in questioned, Cisco followed Barry into the cortex. The rest of team Flash dotted the space in separate conversations but granted Barry their full attention as he asked.

"Tajsa thinks Kane is in a dream." Barry restated.

"In a loose sense of the word. I measure her brainwaves every day and they are consistent with dreaming." Caitlin bit along her bottom lip. The doctor had been very frustrated with this. Kane was her friend too.

"I think we can wake her up by entering her dream." Barry announced, looking around the room.

"Enter her dream?" Joe repeated. "Hooooowww would you do that?"

"Yeah, like a sublimal message or…?" Iris continued.

"Physically," Harry answered, pointing a pen at Cisco. "A dream is, roughly, another dimension. Ramon can Vibe them there."

"I don't think it works that way." Cisco gasped.

"You Vibed me to the Speed Force." Iris commented.

"You Vibed to an alien ship, Cisco." Barry squeezed his best friend's shoulders. "If anyone can save her. Where ever she is. It would be you."

"I'll give it a go, but not with Tajsa at Kane's bedside."

"Tajsa needs another shot today." Caitlin suggested. "I could run some test too. That'll give you…"

"No," Harry cut her off. "We might need a medical professional in the room."

"I can get Tajsa out of Star Labs." Wally volunteered. "Take her to go eat or something."

"No" Tajsa voiced, suddenly standing in the cortex. Because of course she was somehow just as sneaky as her sister. "I'm going too."

Like hell, she was going.

"Tajsa…" Barry started but the young girl kept talking.

"I just told you that Kane has but her life on the line for me more times that I can count! Now, my sister needs me! I don't know how you plan to get to her dream and I don't care. Even if it's some Matrix stuff, I'm going. " Tajsa was squirming on her feet. "Kane is all I have got left."

"Eavesdropping, really?" Joe twisted his lips in disappointment.

"I know it's terrible but you all were clearly talking about Kane and there was no way I was going to stand there and pretend it wasn't happening." Tajsa grabbed Cisco's arm and shook. He was honestly surprised that she seemed so weak. How had Cisco not noticed just how fragile the girl was. "I'm going."

"Tajsa, you aren't going."

"Like Hell I'm not." Tajsa sputtered. "Kane has all but bent the world for me my entire life.. Now, she needs help and I am going to help her. Kane's my sister."

Everyone tried to reply but Caitlin won, putting her arms lightly around the girl.

"Tajsa you quite literally can not with Cisco." Caitlin spun the girl around. "You aren't physically strong enough."

"What?"

"You're condition, although we are in the process of curing you, has wreaked havoc on your muscles and bones." She gave the girl a half smile. "I don't believe you are strong enough to survive this adventure."

"No, that cant be true." Tajsa insisted. "I am strong enough."

"No you aren't." Joe put a fatherly hand on the girl's shoulders. "Honey, you cant even participate in gym classes."

"I'm sorry, Tajsa." Caitlin insisted. "but I don't think you could survive the jump."

"If you really want to help," Cisco took his tearn to plead with the young girl. "Then stay. Because Kane is going to need you when she gets back."

Tajsa lips twisted and Cisco wasn't sure if she wanted to scream, smile, or cry. Before the girl could futher push the issue, Wally ushered Tajsa out of the room. As he promised to by her frozen yogurt, Cisco made a mental note to talk to Tajsa. Kane wasn't the only family she had left.

"Alright, let's get to Dreamland." Cisco clapped his hands and snatched his Vibe glasses from desk where he had been working.

"Ramon, wait." Harry held up a hand to stop Cisco. "Entering a dream state could potentially be very dangerous."

"How? It's a dream?" Cisco disagreed. "It's not real."

"It's a dimension . You'll be in her head and under Kane's control. Everything will be real on the inside." Harry insisted. "You need to remember to not get sucked into her fantasy."

"Also, If Kane is dreaming , you too need to keep her stable." Caitlin insisted. Looking Cisco in the eyes. "If she dies, you die."

"Oh, _Inception_. Got it."

"I'm coming with you." Barry announced, locking a hand with Cisco as he grabbed Kane's. "With Kane, there is a strong probability that you'll end up in the middle of a warzone."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

All in All…this had been a day I wasn't really expecting. Full of surprises and all that. So to hear a warbling sound off to my right wasn't necessarily a surprise. I turned just in time to see Barry and Cisco step through a portal and into my Dad's Study.

Now, my mind was just having fun with me. Cruel fun, really. I was trapped in my head and wanted to further my own torture by bringing Cisco into the mix.

"Kane!" Cisco bellowed in relief.

"This is very strange. Strang-er, I mean." I hummed, lifting myself out of my seat. "First, I dream up the house I grew up in and my parents. Now, I dream up the two of you. Cant say I'm not happy to see you."

"Kane, you didn't dream us. We are really here." Barry said.

"Yeah, my parents were passing themselves off as really here." I snorted.

"Listen to us: You've been in a coma for weeks." Cisco stepped impatiently forward, brown eyes drilling into my own. "Youre fine. But you aren't waking up so Barry and I are here to bring you back."

"No," I didn't understand. "I'm in my head. You cant get into my head."

"I can enter your dream through my Vibe Powers." Cisco sighed, taking another step.

"Does my head count as another dimension?" I mused, quite curious.

"Aye Dios Mio!" Cisco groaned before grabbing my jaw and kissing me…hard. "Do I feel like a figment of your imagination?"

That would be a 'no'. A 'hell no' judging by my heart racing.

"Oh Cisco," I wrapped him up tightly in my arms. "Cisco I've missed you."

"Great, because I really, really need you to wake up."

"Well, she cant leave yet." My dad sounded from behind us.

"Oh," Barry noticed my dad for the first time. "Hello?"

"Cisco, Barry this is my dad. Richard McMillian." I introduced hesitantly. "This just got even stranger and I think I want off this ride."

"Then you know what you have to do."

"No. Dad." I sneered in his general direction. " I wont."

"Ok, honestly. I never thought I would be meeting your dad. In any form. " Cisco whispered into my ear. The movement caught my dad's attention and his sharp gaze caught on Cisco.

"So, youre Cisco?" He walked closer with his most intimidating gait. "I've always wanted to have a nice long talk with the man that would still my daughters' heart. Have a seat."

"If the situation was different, Wayyyyyy different. I would sir." Cisco put a hand on my back. "But we need to take Kane home."

"She is home." Dad answered back quickly. "And as I said before. Kane cant leave yet."

"Kane," Barry turned me with a hand on my shoulder. "This is your imagination. You make the rules here. We can leave as soon as you're ready."

My eyebrows pulled together as I let his words sink in. That had never crossed my mind…

"Youre Barry Allen, The Flash. Quite the job." Dad nodded in approval. "You misunderstand me. I'm not keeping her here. Kane is."

"What does she have to do?" Cisco asked. "What does she have to do to leave?"

"I have to go down to the basement." I growled rubbing at my temples. "I cant."

"Why?" Barry challenged.

"Because this house doesn't have a basement. Abe's house does. A basement that I'm far too familiar with and the way that this whole thing is going Abe could be down there."

"Youre scared of him." Dad interjected.

"I'm not scared of Abe!" I bit back, trying to ignore that I was yelling at my dad. "But if this entire thing is about going down memory lane and having conversations I never thought I would have…I don't want to see Abe."

"There is only one way to find out who is in the basement." Dad assured. "You wont be only this time. You mother and I will go. Your friends can go."

"It sounds like you aren't leaving until you complete the side quest," Cisco squeezed my hand. "You can do this."

"We've got you, Kane." Barry assured.

"Fine." I huffed. "Dad, where is the basement."

Dad nodded and we followed him. Out of the study, through the kitchen and just pass the living room. My mom was standing at the door, looking curiously at Barry and Cisco. Her eyes slid over to my dad for answers.

"Shay, you know who these people are."

"Yes, very nice to meet you Barry. Cisco I have heard a lot about you." Mama smiled before trying to whisper to my dad. "Why are they here?"

"They came to take Kane home."

"Well, she cant leave yet."

"She is standing right here." I raised my hand. "Is this the basement?"

Wordlessly, Mama opened the door to revel carpeted stairs. Her deep brown eyes studied me before she started downward. Dad followed in a lazy trot. Barry, Cisco and I exchanged glances before Barry shrugged and started to follow.

"Come on, Kane." He encouraged. "It's alright to be scared. I know I am."

I nodded, lacing my fingers with Cisco's as we made out way down. It was eerily quite and dark in the room. Releasing a breath that I didn't know I held, Dad took the cue and turned on the switch. The room flooded with light, revealing that the space was empty…except for the person chained to the metal chair in the center.

"Is that…Is that you?" Cisco asked on a whisper as if not to disturb the girl in chains.

"Yes."

It was me, a younger version of me to be exact. My hair was longer, the curls cascading downwards as my head was bent in exhaustion. I was dressed in an orange prison jump suit with 'property of ARGUS' printed on the chest. The jump suit had been slashed, tattered and burned. My tiny hands stained so deep with blood that I appeared to have gloves on.

I remembered that day. That was the day I tried to escape.

"Why are we doing this?" I asked, my voice sounding slightly more panic than I liked to admit.

The other Kane lifted her head slowly, her glassy eyes connecting with mine. She looked dishelved…wild and unpredictable. Her face was a muddle of fresh cuts and bruises with bits of dried blood here and there. Yes, I remembered…that came from being smacked repeatedly with a rifle. I remembered those chains…They were made from a special alloy that I couldn't escape.

Her expression was cold. Her eyes heartless. Power and anger radiating of her in waves. She was a monster locked in this cage.

"Oh," I breathed, moving within a foot from her. She all but snarled as I got closer. "You never left this basement."

"We never left this basement." She corrected, her voice sounded haunted.

"This is…" Cisco started but couldn't finish his sentence.

"This is the truth." The other Kane spat, eyes still on me. "I'm what they made us into. Every little thing that we have suffered. Every. Thing. Spat out the monster that you see. It spat out us."

"No," I challenged. "I'm not you anymore."

"Bullshit. Check your chest. Your wrist. Everything I did, you did. Everything I am. You are too. You're a wolf wishing as hard as possible that she were a sheep."

"Why am I here?" I asked.

Other Kane relaxed back in the chair.

"To admit it." She smiled through the busted lips. "You loved being me."

"I needed to be you." I corrected. "You helped me survi…"

"Bullshit. Nobody turned us into a killer. We always were."

"Youre wrong!" I screamed. "I never wanted to be."

"You wanted to belong!" She screamed back, Fighting against the chains. "They died and left you. Left you without any other family or help to care for your little sister. Just a sad little girl with a backpack full of broken promises and expectations you could never live up to."

"Don't…" I heard Cisco start but Barry put a hand on his chest to hold him back.

"I bet it's why you are with him." She sneered. "He makes you feel so good. Like all the bad shit we've done is just a phase. Like we are redeemable. Like we could possibly belong!"

"I can!" I growled moving face to face with other Kane. She laughed.

"You think you can just be whatever it is they need you to be and you automatically belong with them." She crinkled her nose. "I didn't work with Abe. It didn't work with your shitty, criminal friends, Or ARGUS. What makes you think it will wor…"

I had enough of her talk. Kicking my foot up, I knocked into the seat…sending it back a few feet until it tipped over. Other Kane landed on the dusty basement floor with a satisfying thud. I leaped over to her and squatted into a crouch at her knees.

"The only thing you know is violence. Violence raised us." She chuckled, spitting out some blood. "Who are you to deny it?"

"Youre right." I breathed, into her face. Into my face. "Violence did raise me. Violence is home."

"The life you are living now is a sham. Violence, pain, chains…that's were you belong" She glared. "You'll never play the hero. Not with all the bad we've done. You're a fraud in your own life."

"Maybe I am." I allowed.

"Kane, you aren't." Cisco insisted. "She's wrong! You are redeemable! You do belong!"

"You belong home! With us!" Barry bellowed.

"The two of you being right doesn't make her…this… wrong. Maybe I have been in chains this entire time. Maybe I never left that basement." I shook my head, running my fingers through my hair. "So, this will be my last time here."

"What?" Other Kane asked and I hoisted her up by the remains of her jumpsuit. "You can't just leave."

"Yes, I can." I laughed, snatching the chains from her body.

"If you want to leave, you have to kill me." She stood, chest to chest and toe to toe with me. "Or I'm gonna kill you."

I looked back into her green eyes. She had absolutely nothing to lose. I did.

"I don't have to do anything. I'm sorry I let you stay here. Tied up like a damn animal. I'm sorry, I forced you to live a life of pain. Maybe there was never another way after everything. Maybe there was…and it was just too cloudy to tell." I took a step back. "And Maybe…it's time for the clouds to part."

Other Kane's face was blank…unreadable. Green on Green we stared at each other. In the depths of her eyes…I saw a flicker of light.

"Come on." Cisco beckoned, low in my ear. Bringing me back to the present and I heard the warbling or the portal he had opened.

"Goodbye, Kay." Mama croaked.

"We love you." Dad promised.

"I'll see you again." I promised back.

And then I was falling backwards, stomach lurching and feet scrambling for purchase. My mouth was dry, I had a headache and a despite need for a shower.

"Kane?" I heard my name whispered.

I cracked one rusty eye…and then another. Good Lord, I hated being drugged. It took a second but the MedBay finally came into focus. Caitlin was the first person I saw, her white teeth worrying her red lips.

"Kane, can you hear me?" She asked calmly.

"Cait." I croaked and my voice sounded like sandpaper. "If you bite any harder, you lip is gonna bleed."

She let out a breath and I felt pressure on my right hand. I looked over to see a very relieved, Cisco.

"Thank you."

"That was all you." He quipped. "You never needed me to save you."

With a grunt and constant reminders to move slowly…Caitlin and Cisco helped me sit up. I would be lying if I said my head didn't spin. The rest of the super friends were gathered around the foot of the bed with big welcoming smiles.

"Welcome back, Kane." Iris breathed, squeezing Barry's hand.

"What did I miss?" I groaned.

 _A lot_ …the answer was a lot. I was told in rapid succession.

To start from the top, I was able to absorb the bomb and the city was recovering from most of the damage. Thawne was in ARGUS custody probably locked underground. The 'powers that be' were rebuilding Iron Heights with the help of Cisco and Caitlin. Nimbus's role in saving the city had been all over the internet. In fact, I already had my own little fan club. That was…strange but flattering.

My things had been moved out of my shitty apartment and into a storage unit. Because 'Good-lord- Kane- we- cant- let-you-live-there! Especially-if-you-and -tajsa-get-a-place-together!". Speaking of my sister, She was showing real improvement and was likely to be cured in about five months. If my limbs weren't rubber then I would have done a damn cartwheel for that.

"Well, I guess as well that ends well and all of that." I coughed. Barry had shoved Gatorade into my hands and Caitlin was forcing me to drink.

"Ah…" Joe pulled a face. "not really."

Damn, we were doing so well!

So…Ricky. Ricky was in an Asylum. Like a real live institution. For people that snapped under duress. After the bombs, Ricky lost it. Fighting officers, throwing things, trashing and trying to tear off his own skin. And…repeatedly saying that everything that happened was 'because of Kane", "Kane's fault," "Kane sound die" and other similar phrases.

"Last time I visited him, Ricky just sat at his desk…scribbling your name onto a piece of paper."

"Shit." I sighed. "I turned my ex into an arch nemesis."

"There is more." Cisco wrapped an arm lightly around my shoulders. "Abe is dead."

I had him repeat himself and he said the same words. 'Abe was dead'. Abe-was-dead. I always thought I would cheer when I heard those words. Yet, Abe was dead…and I couldn't even process that. Was I supposed to mourn my abuser if he was my foster dad? It kind felt like I was supposed to mourn him.

Eventually, Tajsa came in…crying and hugging me as tightly as she could. I hugged her back, relieved to come back to my sister again. Caitlin forced everyone but my sister out as she took test and vitals and all of that. The doctor even made me get out the bed and move around. Much to my annoyance, I was winded in a few minutes. Without much ado, I was forced into a car with Cisco and told to get some rest.

There was a storm brewing…I could feel it in the air. A tropical storm with humid wind and crisp rain, probably. I stood at the window of Cisco living room and watched the thunderclouds roll in. Cisco muddled around in the background as I stared out. There was just…so much to unpack. Should I go visit Ricky? Should I be trying to help him? Why did it feel like I needed to mourn my parents all the sudden? And Abe? Did I even know how to mourn my parents? How much had a really missed while in the coma? Where was I supposed to live? My car? My sister? How…

"Stop it." Cisco ordered from directly behind me. I flinched having not heard his approach. "Your brooding is SO loud."

I looked at him over my shoulder. Being alone, this was my first real opportunity to look at him. Cisco looked…tired. There wasn't quite as much light in his eyes as I was used to…the lines in his face seemed deeper. His clothes haphazardly thrown on as if he was in a rush to get dressed. Cisco stood about a foot away from me with his hands shoved into his pockets. He looked at anxious as that first day in Star Labs.

Shit, I scolded myself. I had been so caught up in stopping the bomb, saving the city and saving the team. How badly had I screwed things up with Cisco?

I asked him as much.

"How badly did I screw us up?"

"Hmm, More than Ross and Racheal…the first couple of times." Cisco bounced on his feet. "Wayyyyy less than Michael Scofield and Sara."

Shit, those were pretty bad.

"Cisco…"

"Kane, we can talk about it after dinner."

And we had dinner…a pasta dish that I was sure Iris made. I was hungrier than I thought and I scarfed my meal down while it was still smoking. Much to Cisco's amusement of course. He offered me the shower and I could have cried as the warm water ran over my aching back. The steady beat of the water making my body weak and my eyes droopy. God, I just got out of a coma! How could I still be exhausted? I washed with a smile on my face as I was that Cisco had my body wash, shampoo and conditioner on the side of the tub. Perhaps I didn't screw up too bad.

Once I was out, I noticed my favorite duffel bag on the bathroom counter. I released another breath, Happy to be able to sleep in my own pajamas. Cisco thought of everything! I went out a curled up on his couch as Cisco took his turn in the shower. My anxiety was back on the climb as I waited impatiently to talk with him. What if Cisco was just being nice by having all my stuff her and letting me stay over? What if getting myself blown up is the deal breaker?

I worried for a proper amount of time…and the shower had been off for over ten minutes…I made the trip down the hall. Cisco sat on the edge of his bed, towel drying his hair and combing out the tangled tresses. I wanted to take the comb and help…or at least sit on the bed with him. It wasn't as if I hadn't been in his bed before but…it felt different somehow.

Like I had lost the privilege.

"Are you angry?"

"Yes," Cisco answered honestly. Still brushing his hair. "My girlfriend made an impulsive decision to die. And she wanted to die alone."

"I'm still your girlfriend?"

"Dammit, Kane." Cisco squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Of course, youre my girlfriend!"

"I didn't know if I could do it." I confessed. "I didn't know, If I could absorb it. I didn't want you there…in case…in case I…"

"Blew yourself apart."

"In case I failed!" I yelped. "Cisco, you could have died too!"

That earned his attention. Cisco locked eyes with me, green on brown and stood. I scolded myself for liking the way his hair curled when wet.

"I understand why you did it, Kane." Cisco nodded to me, throwing the brush onto the nightstand with a obnoxious crack. "But damn if it didn't hurt."

"I'm not sorry, for what I did." I told him, moving a few feet closer and keeping my eyes locked on his. "I couldn't let the city blow up."

"I know, I know. You want to be a hero. So maybe _I'm_ selfish." He shrugged. "I don't want you to be a hero."

"What do you want, Cisco?" I asked on a whisper.

"I want you to be here." He answered after a full thirty seconds.

"I am here."

I bit my lip as he looked away. Hurting this man was…heartbreaking. My hands twitched to reach out in grab him. My head ached for it. My heart lurched. But somehow I could reach across the small space between us.

"But for how long?" Cisco stood, furious. "You bolt, Kane. When you accidently killed the child in the park, you bolted. When it seemed like there was no way out of the bomb situation, you bolted. You volunteered to die! Do you know what that did to the team? To Tajsa? To Me?"

Cisco took a step forward, taking my jaw gently between his hands.

"I don't think I can be with somebody that I cant trust to stay. You always come back but Kane…that isn't enough. I cant love you like that." His deep eyes looked lost. Almost haunted. "How do I make you stay, when all you want to do is go?"

I took a deep breath and willed my body to relax. My heart thundered with the concept of love on Cisco's lips. This was not the time.

"I'm Sorry, Cisco. Honestly. I'm so damn sorry. I was scared. I was scared to let the city blow. And I was scared that I might never get to see you again. You mean the world to me. That's why in those last seconds I was looking at you." I reached up on my toes and kissed him lightly.

Cisco resisted at first. But only slightly. I pried his hands away from my face and wrapped my arms around his neck. I kissed his forehead, cheeks and eyelids in a circuit until I could feel his resistance melt under my attention. With a groan…of surrender or relief, I want sure…Cisco sat on the bed and brought me with him. His hands settled on my waist as I nestled his hips between my own. My fingers tangled in his slightly damp hair as I kissed him long and deep. As If I was trying to make up for the months' worth of kisses I had missed. Stealing his breath, feeding him my gasps, conveying how much I felt for him. How much I wanted to stay. Cisco's arms wound around my waist as he kissed back; as if his sheer strength could keep me chest with him.

"Stay." His commanded, demanded, pleaded.

"I'll stay." I pulled back just enough to look in his eyes. "I'll stay until I'm taken from you."

A few more breaths passed between us until we were kissed bruised and gasping for air. Even then I didn't untangle from his arms. Cisco and I stayed like that…me straddling his waist. Him holding me flush to his chest. I played with his hair and I reviewed the time spent in my own head.

Oddly, I was starting to view it as a very intense meditation. How everything in that house stood for something else? How having conversation with my parents were really my subconscious. How the other Kane represented my demons.

"You're thinking so loudly today." Cisco looked up with big puppy eyes. "What's going on?"

"Thinking about what I learned today."

"And?"

"Seeing my parents. Maybe I wasn't…talking to them. Maybe I was confronting myself." I sighed. "Maybe everything has multiple uses."

"What do you mean?"

"Like thunderstorms. You can find multiple meanings in storms" I hummed, smiling at his lips against my neck.

"Wind?"

"To stir up trouble and…to play music for those that want to hear it."

"Alright." Cisco allowed, dropping another kiss to my shoulder. "Rain?"

"To soak us in new sins." I thought. "To wash away the old ones."

The next kiss was to my collarbone as his fingertips bit into my hips. God, he was going to drive me crazy.

"Thunder?" His voice a tad husky.

"To let us know just how fast our hearts can beat." I answered. "To shake us to the core."

"What about lightening?" Cisco waited for a few beats but I didn't reply. "Stuck?"

"No but I can only think of one. See, lightning strikes…" I pulled my fingers through his hair. "Yeah. Lightning strikes…just enough to part the clouds."

Kaneco and Superfriends Epilogue? Leave it alone, Lex? Let me know!


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Hey Everyone! How did you all enjoy that cross over? Myself…I say an A as I found it entertaining and very well put together. So, I wrote a couple of epilogues for Part the Clouds. Remember, my timelines are not exactly cannon and therefore certain results of Flashpoint are not included! You'll see what I mean when you get there! Also, per a pm request that I received…I'll be posting a more 'private' Kanco moment to this story as well. There will be plenty of Tags and 'warning rated M' before that chapter in case that isn't your thing. You guys have been great! I'll still take prompts too! Let me know if you dig this chapter!

-Lex

Epilogues-Post Coma

 _Two months_

I landed on top of the roof with in a silent crouch. The flying thing had gotten much easier but I didn't use it often, only when I needed to keep up with Flash…or if I was in a rush.

"I would like to go on record saying that I think this training is a waste of time and resources." I growled, jumping up to the ledge Flash was balancing on. "I can back you in the field without all of this."

Luckily, Nimbus wasn't really seen as the Flash's sidekick. I would follow Flash right into Hell. Because I believed in him. Because I thought he was a hero.

Hell…I was starting to believe I could be one too. One day.

"This isn't about Nimbus backing me." He corrected, barely looking over at me. "This training is about Nadia learning the balance between mercy and force."

After waking from my coma, I started to piece my life back together. Operating under the identity of Nadia Beauvias. My middle name and my mother's maiden. Tajsa and I got a nice apartment in down town. I had even bought a Ducati…like the one I had barrowed in central city.

Second, I decided to stop the self-medicating. I had to find better coping mechanisms than drowning my issues with alcohol. It wasn't even that I ever had enough to become inebriated. Just enough to stop the storm clouds from rolling around in my head. The next thing I did was talk Tajsa into therapy. After Cisco had told me about the 'sin eater' conversations...I became more aware of my sister's coping mechanisms. Tajsa had a habit of bottling things inside too. Attending Therapy with Tajsa turned into the fourth thing. Admittedly, I was not as open as my sister was to the idea of therapy…especially because a large part of my story had to be edited.

"I know mercy, Flash." I snapped. "I just think it would be more useful to break a knee if the felon is fleeing."

"That's a crime."

"So is breaking and entering but you are pretty soft on that."

Flash rolled his eyes and zipping from one rooftop to another.

"That is not the same." He answered when I caught up. "And you know it."

"I know that we could be stopping a lot more people if we just bend some of these rules you…"

"Good Lord you two bicker like children." Joe groaned over the comms.

"I really don't see how they get anything done." Caitlin sighed.

Flash chuckled before speeding off to another rooftop. I sprinted to the edge and dove, willing the air current to shift. It hosited me higher and futher to I could attempt to keep up with the fastest man alive. Even flying he was always around 25 yards away from me. And I had a sneaking suspicion that he was taking it easy for the training session.

"Don't go easy on me speedster," I grunted, landing on another rooftop.

"The first thing you need to understand is that force is on a continuum." Flash ignored me. "the amount of force you use should be proportional to the situation."

"So by this logic breaking bones of a mugger is extra."

"Exactly," Team Flash agreed as a whole.

"Fine, I apologize. I'm listening." I conceded, turning my head as the wind carried a scream to my ears. Roughly ten miles away. "Sounds like we got action."

"What?" The man was fast, not supersonic.

"Ten miles away, screams."

"East? North?" Flash asked, ready to spring into action.

"Hell, I don't know." I pointed to my two o'oclok which made the hero smirk. "That way."

"How is it that you don't know your cardinal directions?" Flash asked, already speeding off as I leaped into the air.

"Personally, I don't give a da…"

"Guys, break in at Central Way apartments." Cisco interrupted. "There is a midnight showing of Top Gun at the dollar theater and barring a hostile takeover, I plan to be there."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDXCDC

To complete the new life…I had to get a day job. Some how a resume of snooping and picking fights turned into me interning for Central City Picture News. One guess as who had picked me as a mentee.

One month later, I finally understood that Iris was truly an accomplished reporter. Before, I doubted that she put any labor into her profession as she was a vital part of Team Flash. Turned out that she could do both. As we did research and went on adventures for her articles, Iris and I formed a solid bond. That meant working together, that meant letting my guard down around her, that meant talking…

My big mouth landed us in an interview room inside of Central City Mental Hospital.

"I cant believe I let you talk me into this." I grumbled. "Do you realize that should this go south I'll have to fight a pissed off speedster and a 'Dad of the year'?"

"Do you realize that your worrying is making me anxious?" Iris asked.

I rolled my eyes and continued unloading things from the bag I carried.

"You said that the idea that you were the cause of Ricky's mental break has you stressed. And you wont talk about it, not even to Cisco."

"Cause I don't know the protocol for talking to my current boyfriend about being worried for my ex-boyfriend…"

"Cisco would understand." Iris pointed out. "Kane, you allow your sorrow to slip through when you think nobody is watching. When you think Cisco isn't watching."

"Because I don't know where to start, Iris. I'm mourning my mom and dad, deciding if it's right to mourning my abuser, raising a teenager when I'm not someone she should even look up to…

"Surrounded by people that adore you including: a boyfriend that would bend time and space for you…literally, a sister that thinks you can hang the moon, not to mention that you are a vigilante."

An orderly knocked on the door and I shuffled to the back of room. Trying to blend in with the wall. Iris and I had changed my entire appearance so Ricky wouldn't notice me. Straightened hair that hung in my face as it flowed past my bra…a pair of high boots for height…a baggy jacket and glasses over my brown contacts.

Ricky sat in a chair across from Iris as she interviewed him about being kidnapped. He seemed…normal. An easy smile, relaxed shoulders and even a chuckle. Ricky answered questions her questions without much issue…sounding a lot like he when we met. Yeah, normal…except for the deep scratches on his face, neck and arms. Plus, the slight mania in his brown eyes.

"Last question, Ricky. Then I will be out of your hair." Iris grinned professionally after ten minutes of questions. "You told the police that you were kidnapped because…."

"Because of Kane. She ordered me to be kidnapped." He answered as if that was an obvious statement.

As he uttered my name, Ricky shifted in his seat. Leaning forward as if he would pounce, his broad shoulders curling angrily and his face countering into pure…hate. An electric shiver ran down my spine but Iris remained profressional. Taking an uneasy breath, she pushed through.

"Why would she do that?" Iris asked. "Why would she want to hurt you?"

"Because that is who she is! Kane had always wanted to hurt me. Always!" Ricky slapped the table angrily but laughed. "But I get it now. God, ha! I finally understand."

Ricky grinned wildly, showing all his teeth.

"Ya, See. Kane had a rough childhood. Battered kid Syndrome, you know. When we were together, I tried to be the best possible boyfriend. To show her how much I loved her. But nahhhhh." He bounced like an excited child. "Kane doesn't know mercy, or gentleness. She knows pain and suffering and…and…that kinda stuff. That's why she kidnapped me and had them torture me."

"Sorry, I don't think I…"

"Of course you don't. You look like the kind of woman that wants candlelight dinners and puppies. No offense but so…not my type." Ricky had the good grace to look apologetic even as he started to scratch and tear at his skin. A laughed bubbled out of his chest as the orderly attempted to restant him. "Kane loves me. That's the only way she could finally say it."

Shame, I hung my head in shame. How had a been able to do this to him? To take a man…good to the very core and twisted him. To take something as innocent as his need to be loved and…use it as a tool until I could no longer. Ricky hasn't done any wrong to me. Not even once. His only fault was loving me. I blinked harshly, wondering how I had managed to kill a mockingbird. The orderly ushered Ricky out of the room but I didn't lit my eyes to see him as he passed. I did deserve too look him in the eye.

"Kane," Iris started but I waved her off.

"Don't bother prom queen." I groaned weakly pushing at the motion that was threatening to overtake me. . "Don't say this is not my fault."

"This isn't Kane. Taking Ricky for leverage was always a part of the hydrate plan…regardless of your involvement." Iris assured. "You didn't cause this."

"Iris," I called, allowing the fear to seep in. "Lets say this is my fault. That I was able to take a man that wanted to love me and drive him insane. How can I possible love Cisco?"

Clamping her hands on my shoulders, Iris forced me to look into her deep eyes. Brown on Green, I had never seen her so serious.

"You need to talk to Cisco. About all of this." She implored, her words low and slow as if she needed me to understand.

And…maybe she was right.

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

4 Months

It should have felt like a heavenly night. He had popcorn on his left, beer on the right, his hot girlfriend sprawled across his lap and I am Legend playing on his big screen. It should have been a first class night in with Kane but…Cisco couldn't even focus. He hadn't glanced at the movie or touched the popcorn in over twenty minutes. No, the genius was far too busy looking at the girl with her head in his lap and wondering _why_.

It was his fault really. He just had to do remote updates on the team flash phone trackers. The blue blimp that indicated Kane position just had to have an address on it. and he just had to look up that address. It was a tattoo shop on the southside of town. The hour she spent there implied there had been work done. And Kane only had tattoos of nines that represented a traumatic event. It had been months since the coma. Why had she gotten another Tattoo?

Equally important…where in the hell was it? On nights that Kane stayed over…she didn't wear much and she did it to terrorize him. Such as tonight. A mid-drift top with the super skinny straps…a garmet so small that Cisco could almost see all of her tattoos. A tiny black fabric that dared to call themselves shorts. Honestly, those where his favorite. Cisco scanned her body…where could she hide a tattoo.

It was tormenting him really.

A smack to his chest brought him out of his deduction.

"How fucking dare you not tell me that he had to kill the dog?" Kane whined. "Why would you just let me watch that?"

" _Mi Vida_ , he had to kill the dog." Cisco let a hand drop to Kane's curls. "That part gets me too."

"I mean Sam was given to him by his child! It's the end of his family!" Kane grumbled, pressing pause on the movie and wiping a stray tear.

"Why did you pause it?"

"A-this is emotional terrorism and I wont watch the rest." Kane readjusted to laying on her back to see him better. "B- you aren't even watching."

"I am wa…"

"Baby when we watch a movie together you always point out specific things I should pay attention to. You have said nothing." Kane took his hand and started to play with his fingers. "What gives?"

"um…I did some updates on the Team Phone Trackers. Remote updates." Cisco started. "And Well, it tracks. So while I was doing the updates today I could see where everyone was. Not that I was looking but the way the security is set up it gives me the address of the team member. For…panic purposes."

"Cisco you are stalling." Kane sat up. "Are you telling me that you were tracking me all day today?"

"Technically, it tracks you all the time. I mean, social media tracks us and you have two Instagram pages.…"

Kane scoffed and pushed herself off the couch. Her face that eerie calm that Cisco knew was a clear sign of entering the danger zone.

"Kane, I'm sorry." Cisco apologized. "It's the way the app works. I wasn't initially trying to track you."

"No just unintentionally ruining my surprise." She sighed.

"You said surprise as if you going to tattoo shop is a good thing."

"It _was_. I got another Nine."

"Nubacita? Kane, how is that a good thing?" Cisco hummed. "You told me what each of your tattoos meant. Everyone of them was something bad."

"This one is different. Genius. I got it for you." Kane huffed. "This one represents YOU. And ME loving YOU. I had this entire mushy speech prepared about being in love with you and finding my Nine."

Cisco could have been knocked over with a feather. Kane loved him. After just four months, Kane loved him. Enough that she had gotten a Nine for him. A tattoo, a scar…something that would be with her no matter what time, place or space. He needed to make sure Kane understood that he felt the same and more for her. That he loved her.

However, he couldn't collect his thoughts.

"So…" He started. "Can I see it?"

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

 _Five months_

He was late. I set five alarms, laid out his outfit and he was still late. Rather than glance at my watch for the fourth time… I sent him a text.

" _Are we still meeting at Jitters?"_

 **Totally, I just got hung up. I'm on my way!**

 _Your coffee is getting cold._

 **And** _ **Mi Nubacita**_ **only gets hotter.**

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smile on my face. If he made me late to the first meeting with his parents in thirty minutes…Cisco was a dead man walking. It wasn't that I was nervous. I just wanted to make a good impression. Never had I been the kind of girl to bring home to your mom but I had assumed that I would meet his folks at some point. I just wasn't expecting it to be so soon…if four months was soon.

I flexed my fingers, not knowing what to do with my hands. The weight on my right ring finger made me smile into my tea.

To be fair, I was appalled at first…even furious, when Cisco put the little red box on my counter right after Tajsa left for her swim class. I opened it and could immediately tell that Cisco made the ring himself…modeled from my mother's ring.

"No." I had said and shut the box.

"No? You haven't even heard the question yet." He had scoffed. "it's my delivery, right? I should have bent the knee."

"Look, Jon snow, it's not my birthday, Valentine's day or Christmas. So this feels like a proposal." I turned away and continued to load the dishwasher. "it feels like a reaction to yesterday and so help me, Cisco, if this has any thing to with…"

"I'll have you know that I have been working on your ring for 3 weeks. This has nothing to do with Mick Rory claiming that you were bound to leave me once you realized a was just another nerd nipping at your heels. Which would have sucked less if he hadn't said it over comms to the entire team-up. But I digress." Cisco turned me around by the waist.

"Cisco, I love you." I promised. "but you don't need to give me a ring to keep me. I'm already yours."

"I know that. Which is why this is not the proposal. It's just a promise."

"You have my curiosity."

"I'm just promising that I love you completely and irrevocably. That all my things are yours too." Cisco shrugged with ease. "And that when you are good and ready…my last name is yours too."

I was brought out of the memory by a plate of breakfast muffins being sat before me.

"This place is crowded, mind if I sit." The tall, dark and handsome stranger asked although the place was not that crowded.

"Have at it."

"Two cups? Either it's a hell of a morning or…"

"I'm waiting for my boyfriend." I filled in making sure that my ring was in plain view as I sipped my coffee. I hardly ever flirted with guys outside of the Nimbus persona.

"Lucky man," he smiled undeterred. "Well, a stupid man really. For you I would be on time, always."

I shrugged, unimpressed by his sentiment.

"Tell me, does this boyfriend of yours…"

"I'm here, I'm here." Cisco dashed over to the table in a whirlwind. He tilted my head up and kissed me lightly. " Hello, gorgeous. Are you ready to go?"

"Cisco?!" The stranger snapped in surprise.

Cisco whipped around and gasped, "Dante?!"

"Dante?" I asked, realizing the stranger never told me his name. "Youre Dante?"

"Youre Nadia?"

"whoa, whoa…do you two know each other?" Cisco gasped, whipping his hair as his head turned while looking at us. "Cause this just got really weird?"

"No, hermano. I just sat down!" Dante said at the same time I answered with…

"Your brother was hitting on me!"

Cisco took some time to rearrange his features to neutral before grabbing my hand and ushering me out of Jitters. I couldn't decide if he was smug or horrified.

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

"What's wrong?" I asked my sister as she caught her breath.

"Nothing, Kane." She gruffed, meeting my eyes.

Tajsa had been in a sour mood all day. I had assumed it was because of the shots Caitlin was giving her. Apparently, bad days were a side effect of a drastically changing body. Tajsa had been working hard on her health. She had a diet for muscle building from Caitlin that ran three weeks. The Fourth week of the month was the 'vegan diet' for detox. Not my thing but I supported her and tried not to cook bacon in front of her. Also, Taj had taken up jogging and had even asked me to each her some self-defense.

I had tried to give her space and let her work through her mood on her own. Tajsa asked me to jog with her. Being that I had super powers…I was naturally much faster than her. However, it wasn't a chore to bite pride, trot beside my sister and offer encouragement when she slowed.

"Nah," I hummed, looking over to the dog park near the trail we decided to run. "Talk to me?"

"I'm selfish." She said through a few slight pants.

"Why do you say that?"

"You wear it everyday now!" Tajsa started but stopped again.

"I wear what?"

"See, you don't even notice it anymore." Her words started to pick up speed. "And I'm your sister! I should be happy for you! I should be helping you plan the wedding and looking for your dress and all of that! But…but I'm so damn upset because it means loosing you all over again. And I know it wont be really loosing you but things wont be the same anymore! I should be happy but all I can do is worry because…"

"Slow it down! Breathe!" I bounced on my feet and grabbed her shoulders. "Is this about me and Cisco?"

"Your marrying Cisco! You wear his ring everyday and you didn't even tell me his proposed!"

"Tajsa, he didn't propose. This is a promise ring, not an engagement ring! Cisco and I haven't even really discussed marriage. We've only been together a few months." I assured her. "And you wouldn't lose me Taj. Why would you say something like that?"

"Kane a marriage is literally a union between two people. Where does the bride's little sister fit in that?"

"She fits right beside me." I brushed a hand through her

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

A YEAR AND A HALF LATER…

Our wedding had been in an indoor garden and was small…relatively. Superfriends Team Arrow and Team Legends were in attendance. Cisco's family was on the other side. Barry was the best man. Tajsa was my maid of honor. Joe gave me away as if I was really his daughter. Cisco's parents had insisted on the priest that married us. When I saw Cisco waiting for me under the alter…with tears in his eyes…Joe had to clear his throat to remind me not to sprint toward him.

"I do," Cisco had boomed proudly.

"I do." I had answered as quickly as possible after the priest asked. Cisco smiled smugly.

I didn't like to kiss in front of family…. so Cisco laid the biggest, sloppiest, happiest kiss against my lips. Our families laughed as his fist thrust in the air in triumph.

The entire day had been so hectic and we hadn't seen each other in 24 hours. A ridiculous tradition upheld by our friends. After pictures, we stole into the limo that would take us to the reception. Cisco gave the driver 70 dollars to take the very scenic route.

"Nadia Ramon." I hummed, breaking away from making out in the back seat like a teenager. "You almost slipped up and called me Kane during our vows."

"Can you believe that I practiced only using the name Nadia and still almost messed up." Cisco laughed, crushing me against his chest. "I meant what I said Kane. I am so lucky that a woman as loving, dauntless, and clever as you would ever and could ever let me earn the privilege to hold your heart. I promise to safeguard it with my life."

"I meant what I said too, Francisco." I held his jaw tightly as I spoke. " Youre the best thing I never knew I needed, the man I couldn't have anticipated and the person I refuse to live without. How lucky am I that such a brave, honest and intelligent man could look past every single bad that I've done and still see the good in me. I promise to keep you safe with me. I promise to love you with all my considerable strength. I promise to stay."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

7 months after the wedding

I saw him in my dream first. He had butter pecan skin. Mossy eyes like me. A contagiously bright smile like Cisco. Curls that managed to be thick like mine while loose like his. A little boy. A son. My heart ached and I wanted to fall to my knees with love for a tiny little human that had yet to even form.

However, when I really thought about it…my lungs clasped and a chill ran through my blood. For lack of better words…I had the shit beat out of me for about ten years. I had been struck with dark matter. I had been drugged, shot, burned and even electicuted. I had absorbed a bomb that was meant to blow up a major portion of a large city.

My point. My body was amazing. It could handle so much pain. It could bounce back from that pain. But…could it conceive a child? Could it carry a child?

The crippling fear stopped my heart almost every time I played with the West-Allen Twins. And I hid it well, except from my husband. There was no hiding emotions from Cisco and it was a fool's errand to try. And…I was apparently a fool because when he asked I waved it off as excitement. However, On anxiety attack number six…after I took the twins to the park…Cisco all but forced me to tell him the reason.

My husband was a smart man. He had also begun to wonder if I could conceive. We shared those fears with Caitlin. She ran her test but I knew the answer…even before she came into the room with tears in her eyes.

"Never?" Cisco had asked, squeezing my hand.

"The chance is slim. Very very slim." Caitlin toyed with her bottom lip. "I wouldn't say never but…you would need a miracle."

I don't think Cisco and I had ever been so quiet. Could we mourn someone we didn't know? The silence stretched on throughout the day. Over dinner, with a Taj that graciously didn't question, and well into the night. Neither of us pretended to be sleepy and still milled about the downstairs even as Tajsa went on to bed.

"I'm Sorry," I finally broke the silence.

"Kane." Cisco shook his head tiredly. "Don't."

"Cisco you are the smartest, most caring, gentle, courageous man I know. You deserve a family. You deserve a wife that can give you children."

"And you? What do you deserve?" He asked.

"Very little probably." I chuckled darkly with gained cisco full attention. "Once you end so many lives…I guess you arent qualified to…"

"Stop it." He demanded, crossing the room and turning me by the shoulders. "I wont have you talking about my wife that way."

"Your wife." I repeated, surprised at the tears dropping from my eyes and clouding my vison. I slid the ring Cisco made me off my left ring finger. "You gave me this ring with the expectation, the intention that you could have a family with me."

"I gave you that ring with the intention and expectation that I would get to spend the rest of my life with you." Cisco sat with me on the couch. " I wont lie to you, this hurts. I want children. I want children with you more than anything. The idea of a tiny person with half our DNA…it's beautiful."

"Yes." The little boy with butter pecan skin, my eyes and his smile.

"But it's not the only way we can have a family." Cisco pulled my chin around to face him. "We've been through comas, timelines, dimensions, gorillas, aliens and a whole lotta bad guys. We'll get through his too."

It took me a minute of searching his eyes but I finally nodded. Agreeing that we could get through this too.

"Oh and if you ever take this off again while you're not in uniform, I'll be forced to vibe you to Earth 50." He quirked an eyebrow of challenge as the ring slid back onto my finger.

Dcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdc

9 months after the wedding.

The clank of the plastic on the floor, brought him out of his self-loathing. Well, kinda. It was more so the woman kneeling between his knees that brought him back to the present. That was something his wife could always do…reach him like no one could.

Cisco realized just how cold and hard the floor of his lab was. However, he wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there…in the dark, on the cold ground. Kane pushed his hair out of his face before pressing a warm wet cloth to his temple. It stung and he could feel her cleaning away the dried blood. From his temple, above his eyebrow, his check and bottom lip. Wordlessly…she didn't push, she didn't question. Hell, she didn't even look disappointed or angry. She should have been.

"Kane," His voice was thick with unshed tears. "I'm sorry. I failed. I had one job and I…"

She cut him off with a kiss of silence as she unzipped his suit jacket. His limbs were limp as he let her remove the item. A warm cloth on his hands, which forced Cisco's unfocused gaze downward.

Dried blood. On his hands.

"Oh God," Cisco gasped. "OH GOD!"

"Cisco…"

"I couldnt save her. I couldn't protect her. It's my fault she is dead!" Cisco yelped, tears welling up in his eyes.

It should have been simple.

"I should have never went out there alone. I should have gone without you." Cisco watched as the blood coated the washcloth. "I'm not a hero, I…"

"Stop it." Kane curled her tiny hand around his fingers. "Nobody talks that way about my husband and gets away with it."

"Your husband failed."

"Baby, there was nothing you could do. Tracy was already a dead woman walking. Caitlin found traces of poison in her blood." Kane had started to focus more on his finger nails. "Even if the gunshot didn't kill her…she would have been dead in 24 hours."

"That's not comforting." Cisco sniffled. "What was I thinking? Going alone?"

"You were thinking that you were setting out to do the best you can. You were thinking about how to protect your friend. You were thinking that Barry is off in Star City. You were thinking that since it was such a late call and I was already sleep that you would let me rest." Kane rested her hands on his knees. "You were thinking that you only needed to protect her from one meta. Not two. Cisco, it sounds terrible but…sometimes, no matter how hard you try. Sometimes, you lose."

That wasn't good enough.

"Kane, how?" Cisco asked helplessly. "How do you live with the blood on your hands?"

Her beautiful face dropped and she let out a sigh. Her nails raked over his scalp for a few silent minutes before answering.

"The same thing you do with scars, baby." She squeezed his hands and laid one against her abdomen…where her tattoos marred. The other against her sternum…where she had gotten the tattoo that represented him. "You let them stay and use them to motivate you. Make sure Tracey doesn't die for nothing."

Cisco pulled his wife to straddle his hips as he hid in her neck. He wouldn't cry…no, no mourning until Tracy's killers were brought to justice. But he needed a minute to center himself. To push away the thoughts that told him he wasn't good enough to protect this city, his friends, or his wife. He wasn't fast like Barry. He wasn't strong like Kane. Cisco was smart, Cisco was relentless. He needed to believe himself if he was subbing in while Barry was off with team arrow. If he was going to be any use to his team.

So, he breathed in Kane's scent. She smelled like soap, coconut oil and roses. She smelled like warmth, hope and strength. Greedily, he breathed Kane in holding her absoultly flush against his chest. A silent plea for her to balm the brand-new wounds on his heart.

"And you were wrong, Cisco." She held Cisco around the shoulders. "You are a hero. Hell, you've always been my hero."

Dcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdxcdcc

If anyone asked, Mr and Mrs Ramon spent their free time trying new restaurants, going to parks and planning for their big yearly getaway. Technically, all of that was true. They did try out new restaurants, go to parks and plan for their getaway. But if anyone asked, they would never tell the complete truth. The places they went were not in Central City. Sometimes not in America. Some times not even in his hemisphere.

If they weren't busy (Kane's illustration deadlines, new tech, someone trying to destroy the city, family things) then Cisco would open a portal to a random city. The couple would then set out to find a restaurant that had great reviews on Yelp. If they were suddenly needed, Cisco could always vibe them right back to Central City. As far as parks went…it depended on your definition of 'park'. Cisco found it to mean an area used for recreation. So, beaches totally counted. Kane had giggled and called that cheating…until he took her to Playa Pariso in Cuba. Also, Harry Potter World was absolutely a park.

The two managed to keep their adventures a secret for two years. Even from the completely healed Tajsa, who was now seventeen and part of three honor clubs, two sports teams and had a weekend job at the movie theater. Cisco wasn't sure how the girl even kept her head on straight, let alone her Grades high.

Now the secret had been theirs alone until a certain speedster just paid too much attention.

Cisco had been patching up the Nimbus suit after a fight with Firestorm.

 _Darth Firestorm, Earth 14…a very long story._

"St. Lucia?" Kane had asked from her position on the edge of his work bench.

"We've been there. We've been the last four beaches you named."

"Baby a few hours in the sand is not enough to say we have been there."

"Fine, Philippines?"

"No, remember you got sick after you ate that street food." Kane folded her legs under her.

"Oh right, I almost couldn't Vibe us back." Cisco looked up from his work. "Ibiza? Yeah! We loved our night in Ibiza!"

"Do you think we can still get that villa we stayed in? What was the guy's name that let us stay for that one night?" Kane had adored the view from the porch.

"The Dj or the 'bussiness man'?"

"Ew not the pervy DJ! The…" Kane started but whipped her head to the side. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Uhm…" Barry slowly emerged from the shadow of the entry way with a look of rightful shame on his face. "Long enough to know that Iris and I shouldn't bother with a travel agent for our next anniversary."

DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC

three years after the wedding

I should have stayed on the ship. I knew it. I could feel it in the air before we left. I should have stayed on the ship. But the team…and I meant the entire Team Arrow, Flash, and the Legends needed me. It was some lady named Queen B. She could make any man do anything she wanted. So the field Squad was made up of ladies. White Canary, Black Canary, Jesse Quick, Speedy, Frost, Vixen, SuperGirl and Nimbus. Felicity and Iris were in the field too, running as a distraction.

Cisco had called us the Birds of Prey…I wasn't sure why.

Cisco, Curtis, Steel, and Rip Hunter were on the ship. Running comms and such. The other guys were off trying to kill the Queen B's hold on the city.

But when the Queen's soldiers attacked the ship. I heard the line go dead. Nobody had to tell me my husband was being a hero. I already knew.

"Go!" White Canary yelled at me in the middle of fighting the guards. "Take Frost and Speedy."

We got to the ship as fast as possible. Caitlin skating on Ice with Thea and me flying ahead.

I nearly tore the limbs off the first solider I saw. The second I stopped from choking Rip hunter. The third…I don't know what happened to him after I put him through the wall. I stormed my way into the main room blowing a few soliders away. There he was…crumpled on the floor. His midnight hair coated in blood. His body discarded like a piece of scap.

"No," I screamed, dashing toward him at the same time as Rip. "Cisco!"

The steel guy wrapped his arms around my middle as a few of the other guys took my husband to the medbay. It wasn't until later that I had wondered why my body ached so…whose blood was on my hands.

"Yours," Rip had answered, "You beat your hands bloody on Nate's chest during attempts to get to Cisco."

Then they should have let me go. They shouldnt have made me wait in the main room as Gidean and Caitlin worked on my husband.

Caitlin's voice broke through my spinning thoughts. "Whatever blast he faced severally burned his chest and hands. It appears that he hit a wall which broke, broke his left shoulder and cracked his skull completely open."

"Is he stable?"

"For the moment. I've done all I can do, Kane." Caitlin put a hand on my shoulder, the tears were in her eyes.

"Cait," I called, my voice sounding haunted and hollow, cracking as her name when down. "I…cant. I cant lose him. Not like this."

My knees shook under me, threatening to give out under my love for him. For my husband, for my best friend, my love, my partner. The man I had given my heart to less than four years ago and the very second I met him. Was four years all I got? Would he be taken from me this soon?

I lost track of time in the medbay. His face was singed and swollen…his arm in a cast and the other treated for burns. The smooth chest I had always admired was wrapped tightly in guaze to help heal the burns. Caitlin had cleaned the blood off Cisco, making him look half alive as he laid in the chair. Gidean had him in status and I was careful not to disturbed any of the wires. A few heroes dropped by but I didn't pretend to notice them. I did pretend not to notice the bowl of pasta Iris put on the table beside me.

I was busy, trying to will Cisco to open his eyes…twitch…anything that gave me an indication that my husband was still here.

Sara had come in at some point. Her hovering making me nervous.

"The rest of the mission?" I finally spoke.

"Successful." Sara rubbed her hands through her blond hair. "Kane, I need to ask you an uncomfortable question."

"Shoot."

"When was the last time you and Cisco…ya know."

It took me a second to process that.

"Not that it's your business. But last night." I answered almost cracking a smile. Cisco had started whispering Spanish in the darkness of our tiny room. The way he rolled his R's should have been against the law as it was absolutely coercion.

"That what I thought." Sara sighed. "Kane there is no easy way to say this but I had Gideon scan everyone on the ship for injuries and such. That's standard. Youre pregnant."

"What?" I blinked at the captain of the ship. "that isn't possible. I…I…"

"You were on the ship when we time jumped. You puked and we thought it was the only side effect but…there is this thing called temporal uterus alteration. This kind only happens to 1% of women that time jump."

"So your telling me, I'm pregnant because I was intimate with my husband after a time jump."

"I'm tell you that your body is special. That the child that you are gonna have is the product of a miracle."

I wasn't sure if the tears on my cheek were because I was happy to have Cisco's child inside me…or because my husband might not ever know that child. Sara squeezed my shoulder but otherwise left the room without a word.

"Do you hear that Cisco?" I cried angrily to him. "I'm pregnant! Our spawn is taking form."

I took his good hand in mine and laid it against my stomach. As if the feel of my stomach, the home of our child for the next nine months, would jar him awake.

"So you have to come back to me, baby. Our child is going to need you and I am going to need my husband." I implored him. "Stay. Remember, you asked me to stay. You cant leave, Cisco."

Dcdcdcdcdcdcdc

 _Years Later_

I had lost him.

I took my eyes off him for two seconds and I had lost him.

I dashed around a corner, frantically yelling his name. This could not be happening. It just couldn't.

Skidding to a halt, I took a deep breath and attempted to sense him. My connection to the air around me had only gotten better with age and well…I was always going to be able to sense him. Always.

He was somewhere toward my five o'clock. Ruefully, I thought that I still didn't know my cardinal directions and I was never going to learn them at this point. I turned on my heels and ran in the direction the air was pulling me. I didn't have to go far when I spotted him

On a jungle gym with the Twins.

"And then there was a big blast. Like from a rocket!" Don told as he hung upside down. "So the Flash and Vibe teamed up and followed it. It was a bomb that went off right outside keystone! Posion gas was being release from the wreckage and…"

"I don't think there was poison gas." I hummed, recalling that day. It had been a long ass day too.

"I told you!" Dawn accused her brother as she continued to climb to the top.

"Aw, how do you know Aunt Nadia!" Don grumbled.

"Yeah, mommy. How do you know? You weren't there or nothing!" My son, Armando giggled, climbing alongside dawn.

"No but I believe I do remember it was a great day for Flash and Vibe." I hummed. It was true, I wasn't there because Frost and I were securing the military facility out in keystone.

"Aunt Nadia, will you take us to the Hall of Justice again?" Dawn asked. "It's so much cooler when you take us than Daddy."

"Well, I would be inclined to say yes if you three hadn't run off! I told you to say up in the front playground." I tutted, hands on my hips because I had turned into my mother.

"Told you so!" Don accused his sister with a savage point.

"Mommy this one has a better…climbing thingy." My six year old son appealed to my reason.

"Don't care, get back to the picnic table, Joe has chili dogs for everyone."

"Yes!" The twins simultaneously pumped their fist and flipped to the ground. Dawn always landed gracefully, more Iris than Barry. Don landed with a slight skid but was easily the better runner…like father like son.

"Mommy?" Armando was climbing down now, not quite as fearless as the twins. "Why do you always get sad when we talk about Heroes?"

Caught that did he? I squatted down to his level. Armando had butter pecan skin. Mossy eyes like me. A contagiously bright smile like Cisco. Curls that managed to be thick like mine while loose like his. A little boy, the son I had seen in my dreams…but in my dreams, Cisco was there.

"I don't get sad, bud. Not really." I promised him but I could tell he didn't by it.

"Is it cause of Daddy? Because Daddy was your hero?"

"Yeah, yeah he was." I answered honestly. There was no use hiding things from him, he was Cisco's kid.

Four years. I had my happy family for four years. Cisco had Pulled through his accident on the Waverider and was an excited mess of a man to find I was pregnant. I would always remember the look of pure wonder and adoration after I told him. We had both pulled away from physical team missions and Vibe took on my regular Nimbus duties while I was pregnant. Childbirth…sucked, full stop. But, then he was here, Armando was just as I had envisioned him.

Cisco had been worried about parenthood but took it on as fearlessly as he had everything. And he was a fantastic parent. Effortlessly, he balanced frustration and tenderness. Honestly, I had been a little jealous that Armando just didn't light up when I entered the room as opposed to his father. But I couldn't really blame him.

And then there was a mission, Barry came back…without Cisco.

It wasn't that he was dead, he was just lost. Lost to the multiverse through a portal. I didn't understand the particulars…I only knew that I had to find a way to explain it to our son.

"You know your Daddy loves you." I had started. "But Daddy is going to be away for a while. I…I don't know just how long."

Armando had blinked twice before bursting out in tears. Shaking and crying out for his father. And I…I pretended to be strong.

"I miss him." Armando said in a small voice, bringing me back to the present. It had only been a year since Armando had stopped throwing coins into fountains and wishing for his dad's return.

"I do too, and I love him. And we both love you very, very much." I promised, my son's eyes lit.

"I love you too." He assured. "So did daddy. Daddy loves you a lot."

"Why do you run along and get you chili dog…before Uncle Barry eats it."

"Uncle Barry eats Everything!" Armando laughed and ran back in the same direction as his kids.

I rose to my full height and took a deep breath. Years ago, when I was in ARGUS cell, I had assumed that my life would be no more than pain and clouds I couldn't see through. I had never imagined this much in my life: family, purpose, love. There was so much love in my life that I would be ungrateful to be unhappy.

But…my heart would always cry out for Cisco. Always.

I took another deep breath and willed the wind to continue to part the clouds. That was when I felt it. It was subtle but present. A reaching vibration slid across my skin like a caress. One that I had reached out to in battle. One that I had let comfort me in dark hours.

Whipping around, my eyes landed directly on him. Cautiously, he had barely snuck out from the trees lining the park. I blinked harshly…once, twice and three times before I could believe my own eyes. I had dreamed about this reunion…about seeing him and running into his arms and gushing intangibly. However in this moment my legs were weakly frozen under me and words caught in my throat.

His hair was a degree longer with blunt ends as if he had chopped it himself. His russet skin lacking luster but matching the exhaustion obviously burning him. I caught his gaze…happy to see that his eyes still held that same energy that I fell in love with. Unnamed emotions swirled around in my head and heart, rendering me unable to know just how long we stared at each other.

I loved him with all my heart.

I was furious. Livid with him for leaving us without a goodbye.

I was close to bursting with all the hope I had been holding onto…wishing he would return to me.

"Cis-cisco." I finally found my voice but didn't take a step forward. "Hey."

"Kane." He breathed, his voice sounded rougher than I remembered. "Hey back."

"


	22. Private

A/n: Hey everybody! I'm hoping you enjoyed the epilogue chapter. I'm still down for requests and I'm thinking about a follow-up so the last scene. The need to write Cisco as a father is a bit consuming. Hearing from you all helps me with my writing so feel free to drop me a message or review. So this is my Private Time Kanco chapter! It stands alone in the story so please skip if this isnt your thing. Let me know if you dig it!

-Lex

It had started out very innocently. Well, as innocent as a situation could be with Kane on the other side. Cisco had recently become interested in being a better fighter. He knew some stuff from roughhousing with his brothers…and that one self-defense class he took with his college roommate to pick up chicks. Cisco figured that best person to teach him anything combat related had to be Kane.

"One on one training with you." Kane purred, a playful eyebrow quirked as she undressed from Nimbus city rounds. "Mmm, my place or yours?"

Star Labs, Cisco insisted. A portion of the garage was already set up for Frost v Nimbus training sessions. Kane had mock-pouted at the non-intimate location but nevertheless changed into sweatpants, a sports bra and one of those oversized gym tanks.

The two had been together, officially, for three months. In Cisco's eyes it was technically four months because he counted the time Kane was in the coma. Kane respectfully decreed that those weeks didn't count toward the total…thus the two had agreed to disagree on that front. However, the couple agreed that they should take their relationship slowly. Kane had been grieving her old life: parents, Abe, accepting her part in the ARGUS madness. She was finding her rhythm as Nimbus and as the sole guardian of her little sister. Cisco was still learning to trust her after she blew herself up and how to work with his girlfriend as a permeant part of Team Flash.

It was an adjustment…but they were learning together. Growing together

Not to mention…Cisco was falling in love with her ten different ways. He wondered if his heart would threaten to beat out of his chest every she walked into the room. Or game him that coy little smirk.

"I have never seen you in gym gear." Kane grinned at his plain white tee shirt and basketball shorts. "What do you know about defending yourself with your powers?"

"Enough to stay alive."

"Well…" Kane smirked, circling him. "Lets' get started."

And start she did…immediately blasting balls of smoke into his chest. The first two pounded against his rib cage but he ducked the third. Cisco raised his fist and sent a round of low level vibrations right towards her chest. His girlfriend spun on her toes like a ballerina to avoid the blast. Cisco wasn't foolish enough to underestimate her and drove a couple of back to back blast at her. Kane backed away, folding her arms in an X to defend her chest…smiling wildly, like the untamed thing she really was.

That smile had distracted Cisco and would result in his down fall. Kane dropped down, sliding under the vibrations and whipping Cisco's legs from under him. He hit the mat with a muffled thud.

"You've been holding out on me." Kane was standing over him, beaming.

"You distracted me."

"You relented." She challenged, helping him to his feet. "You've studied my tactics. I attack, and I kept attacking."

"Yeah and I'm trying to defend myself from you. But we both know who is the better fighter here."

"That's not the point." Kane turned him to her. "Youre doubting yourself. You think that I'm the better fighter and that's true…"

"Thanks for clearing that up." Cisco grumbled but Kane ignored that…Grabbing his hands.

"You aren't fast like Barry. You aren't super strong like me. While these powers are your gifts, they aren't the only gifts you have." Kane insisted, tapping his temple. "Youre everybody's favorite genius. So _think_."

"Yeah," Cisco breathed in…centering himself and finding some confidence. "Let's go again."

"I'll go as many rounds as you want, Genuis." Kane purred, slipping to her fighting stance.

The two tussled, Cisco learning to think on his feet rather than just react to Kane's onslaught. He'd create a wave of vibration, Kane would duck retaliating with a blast of smoke. Cisco would block it, getting close enough to kick at her legs. It has been a good move but his girlfriend was as instinctual as she was relentless. As he swept her knees up, Kane bounded up on the palms of her hands and returned the kick. Cisco went down for the second time.

Kane was actually a fantastic teacher. She walked Cisco slowly through a few moves and countermoves before continuing the sparring. Her constructive criticism wasn't as hard for him to hear as he originally imagined. The sparring continued and while Cisco was winded, working up a decent sweat…his girlfriend barely glistened.

"Hey," He heaved breathing in big gulps after a particually hard take down. Kane was braced on top of him straddling his upper ribcage. "Are you going easy on me?"

"Would you like me to stop pulling my punches?" She asked, blinking down at him in that innocent-siren way that always sent vibrations up and down his spine. Kane leaned futher down…her tattoos just inches away from his eyes. Cisco started to think some nefarious thoughts as his girlfriend smiled coyly down at him. One day this woman was going to kill him.

They started again, Kane attacking and Cisco defending. He had studied her fighting style and it was very much like a dance. An intuitive movement of her body depending on the tempo of the fight. So Cisco slowed, backing away to create space between them. Kane kept her hands up and continued to circle him…waiting for his next move. Expecting his next move.

Cisco did exactly what she wasn't expecting…the threw up a portal. The transportation through the gateway to landed him directly behind her. He pushed Kane flat to her back and pounced. Cisco pinned her wrist lightly to the mat as Kane smiled widely up at him.

"Excellent, Genuis!" Kane quipped. "But for future reference. If you want to have me under you…All you had to do was ask."

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them

"Can I have you, Kane?" Cisco calling her bluff. Kane's green eyes went wide and Cisco tightened his grip around her wrist.

"Be careful what you wish for handsome." Kane warned in that same innocent-siren voice that threaten to drive him insane. He put his lips against her, chastely at first but easily growing in passion. Kane freed her wrist and pushed him back a few inches. "Don't do this."

"Wha…" Cisco pulled back just further to look her in those big green eyes. "I mean I totally get it if you don't want…I mean…consent is key. So is enthusiasm really. But neither one of those appear to be present here so…"

"Cisco, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to hurt your ego." Kane locked her hands around his neck to keep him chest to chest with her… which really was not helping the mixed signals. "I just don't want you to do anything you don't want to because of me."

 _That he didn't want to do_? Cisco had never heard something so preposterous

"Alright, Kane." The genuis hauled them into sitting position with room for understanding between them. "I think we need to get on the same page here. What in Sam Hell do you mean by that last statement."

"Cisco, I'm the one that always coming onto you." Kane green eyes drilled into his chocolate orbs…urged him to understand. "You're the one that always stopping me."

The genuis sat statue still, blinking at the beauty in front of him. Cisco knew he was missing something important but… he was still unable to understand whatever the issue was that was keeping him from his girlfriend. Perhaps he was thinking with the wrong head. Kane continued…

"Ya' know. If we start getting frisky, you always put an in to it before we go too far. Even if we are already in a bed. I totally respect your boundaries by the way." Kane shifted, getting nervous under Cisco's unwavering gaze. "I really do get it. For you, we have less of a physically connection. More of an…everything else. Mental, emotional, spiritual. I really am alright with that and I don't wanna rush you into anything. I'll wait…"

Oh. Oh!

"No, No, No Kane!" Cisco corrected, much louder than he intended. He took a second to modulate his voice and kick himself for every single time he had stopped himself from going past second base with Kane. "No Nubacita. That isn't…"

"How can it not be?" Kane asked with a grunt. "You literally push me away."

"What about last night?" Cisco asked, desperate and confused.

Last night, the couple was locked in a scorching make out session in their PJ's…taking advantage a Tajsa free apartment for the night. The young girl was on a weekend retreat with the MetaData club. Cisco and Kane had become a blur of excited hands, encouraging sighs and starved kisses. It hadn't been long before Cisco's hand snaked its way into her sleeping shorts.

" I thought…" Kane started, a short shiver running down her spine as she remembered the way his sure fingers stroked her. "I thought you were just exploring. I'm happy with letting you explore Cisco. I mean it's the first time you wanted to go that far."

"I hurt you." Cisco gasped, feeling her hurt washing over him through his Vibe powers. Kane had taken his caution as rejection. "Baby, I am so sorry. I hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me, Cisco." Kane rose from the floor in a move that was much too stiff and meant she was very upset. "I meant it. I respect your boundaries."

"Hey, don't do that." Cisco followed, coaxing his girlfriend away from the walls she used to protect herself. Cisco turned her around to face him. "Talk to me."

"It's silly." Kane rolled her eyes but continued. "I've just never had a boyfriend that doesn't want me."

"Kane, I do want you." Cisco promised. "How could I not want a physical connection with you? _Dios Mio_ , last night we were making out on your couch. You were sitting in my lap. Cant you feel how much I want you?"

"Arousal is all biology." Kane answered coolly as if she was trading lottery numbers with Harry. Cisco rolled his eyes. "Then why do you…"

"Because I wanted it to be perfect." Cisco pulled Kane flush against his body to whisper in her ear. "I wanted to be perfect for you."

"You stupid genius. I don't need perfect." She promised, taking his face in her tiny palm. "Just you."

Kane kissed him then…a long and promising kiss.

"Yes, you can have me" She answered, pulling away to slide her lips along the sensitive skin of his neck.

"My place or yours?"

"Yours," Kane answered eagerly.

With a mischievous smile, Cisco opened a portal and yanked Kane through by the waist. She had expressed her dislike for transporting but…desperate times called for desperate measures. And Cisco was desperate for this moment with Kane.

He wouldn't lie. Cisco was a possessive man. His suits, his tools, his dvd collection…the list went on and on. And yes, Kane was _his_ -his girlfriend, his future. But he didn't own or possess _her_ ; he didn't want that.

Cisco wanted to possess the raw lust in her eyes as he laid her across the bed. He wanted to be responsible for the unfiltered sounds that bubbled out of her throat. He wanted to cause a few new scars she could carry around for the day to remember his touch on her body. he wanted to dominate her mind…not completely, just the part that told her she wasn't worthy of this. Of the unadulterated love Cisco held for her.

His hands found immediately landed on my waist, pushing up my ribcage, boldly over my breast and finally sliding over my fingertips. I bit back a whimper as his lips slid along my collarbone, his teeth nipping at random intervals. I balled my fist, only half surprise to find myself tugging on his midnight locs. Cisco made a noise of approval, his hands squeezing my sides.

My boyfriend was surprisingly unhelpful in my endeavors to rid him of his clothing. Cisco was too busy kneading my skin, toying with the straps of my bra, sucking on the swell of my breast to the point of a hickey and just really doing anything he could to be unproductive.

"Cisco." His name rolled off my lips in response him squeezing on my breast while biting on a particularly soft spot on my neck. It was a moan of approval, a gasp of pleasure and a warning of frustration all together.

"There it is." He smirked, pausing to pull off his shirt one handed.

"I've been trying to do that for a while." I sat up in attempt to pull him back down.

"No, I meant you calling my name." Cisco pushed me back against his pillows. "I want to hear all the sounds you make and I'm willing to draw them out. I want you out of that head of yours."

"Good luck, genius." I flipped him over with ease and began raking my nails against his soild body. smoothing my palms over his nipples and shoulders.

Cisco rose to sitting, smashing our bare chest together and holding me by the hips. A small puff of approval passed my lips as I felt the hardest parts of him against my softest. He grazed the tops of my breast with his lips again. I caught those lips with my own and became lost in the amount of breaths that passed between us.

To be perfectly honest, I would have…slept with Cisco months ago if he had let me. But I knew we had to progress slowly…for both out sakes. But still, I thought about him…about _this_ more times than I would admit. Full disclosure, I was having a hard time labeling times like this. When it was just the two of us and we were a puzzle of hands and kisses and adoration. When he would touch me like the sun rose at my command.

What would this be? Calling it sex sounded callous. To basic to describe the sacred feeling of forgetting where I ended and Cisco began. Making love sounded much to frightening because Cisco and I hadn't crossed that bridge…and somehow I was certain of his feelings for me.

I wasn't sure what to call this…

I wasn't sure when Cisco had put me to my back…or when he had rid me of my bottoms. I wasn't sure when he had nestled between my legs with my black panties hiding my center from him. I wasn't sure how long I was squirming beneath him.

I was certain however… Cisco was burning me. His midnight eyes and hands seemed to be everywhere and throughout. At some point his mouth joined the exploration and made sure to connect with all the skin available to him. My skin was hot…hotter than it had ever been and his mouth was somehow degrees hotter. So when he kissed along my flesh, mumbling words in Spanish that I couldn't understand as he went, flames danced along my skin in his wake. Cisco was branding me, searing words of affection on to my body for the world to see.

"Wait," I whimpered against him, pushing him back enough to see his face. His eyes were somehow even darker with lust and my heart sped

"What's wrong?" His tenor voice was husky and had I been standing my knees would have gotten weak.

"Nothing." I panted, perturbed that I was the only one here panting. "I just not used to…"

"I highly doubt that." Cisco laughed as he skimmed knuckles down my side. I trembled.

I fucking trembled. How had he done this to me?

"Not the way you do it." I circled his waist and traced muscles. "Youre so intense."

"Me?" He scoffed, dipping to lay a kiss between my breast. "You should see yourself. You're all-fucking-consuming. Inside my head since the day I met you, Kane."

"Cisco, please." I breathed as he trailed up to my neck.

"We have all night."

"Don't make me wait any longer." I pleaded, discarding the rest of my ego. This was us.

He took his sweet time removing my underwear, a ravenous look on his face when he saw how ready I was for him. I assisted in removing the last of his clothes and his member sprang free. Wider than long with a silky foreskin. Before I truly had a chance to admire the girth and smoothness…Cisco had slipped into a condom.

Well, I couldn't argue with enthusiasm. In fact, I matched it.

I rolled Cisco over as the weight of the situation hit me. This wasn't like any of my other relationships or flings. This was Cisco and I knew that once I had given myself over to him there was no backtracking. Sensing hesitation on my part, Cisco sat up and pecked me on the lips.

"You need to me sure, _Nubacita_." Cisco insisted. "Cause I…

I kissed him to shut him up and swallow my gasp as I slowly sank onto his member. Absently, I felt my nails digging into his shoulders and his grip tight on my hips, both trying to control our bodies.

"Open your eyes." Cisco demanded, a little pant in his voice as I adjusted. "Get out of your head."

I obeyed with a whimper, my breath catching in my throat as I connected with his gaze. We found our rhythm…or maybe it found us…as we moved against each other. Roll for roll, thrust for thrust, moan for moan. I braced my hands against his shoulders but his hands roamed over every bit of skin he could see.

Expectantly, Cisco was as vocal as I guessed. He voiced his enjoyment through a series of grunts and growls. Growls that I found myself particularly fond of. I raked my nails down his chest and circled my hips in attempts to draw those growls of approval.

"Youre thighs are trembling," Cisco rolled me over, without missing a beat. If I was less distracted I would have commented on the easy prowess of that movement. "You're close."

I couldn't exactly answer that as I was too busy trying not to spontaneously combust. I moaned into his ear, panting my need for him.

" _Nubacita_." Cisco demanded against my neck and he thrusted particularly deep into my core.

"No," I forced out on a breath but couldn't stop my hips from stuttering. "Not yet."

My body was on fire, slick with our efforts and his attention. Even as I crossed my ankles and forced him flush with my chest…I knew I would never have enough. My hunger for him would never be sated and I reveled in the chaos of that knowledge. So as I held back from a very promising orgasm, a strange peace strummed through my body as I experienced him with all my senses. I could only hear his chorus of groans and the occasional curse word in Spanish. He was the only thing I could see. The only thing I wanted to touch or taste. There was a peace in allowing him to consume me…in allowing him to silence my demons.

"All. this. Time." I panted as my hands threaded through his hair, desperate to hold on as the tension in my body pulled impossibly tight.

"What is it, honey?" Cisco asked, his forehead against mine as he rolled into me more hard than fast. "Tell me what it is."

"All this time," my back arched against my will. "It was always you."

"yes, just me and you." Cisco was apparently way past fair play as he reached between our bodies. His fingers brushing my nub with focus. There was no way I would be able to hold on. "I've got you, Kane. Let go, for me."

The tension in my body snapped like a rubber band and I would have scared his neighbors if Cisco hadn't of swallowed my screams. His hands held my wrists down so I couldn't crush anything with my considerable strength. Although I was trying to crush him between my thighs. My release of passion led Cisco into his own and this time I was the only thing catching his groans.

Cisco discarded the condom, taking the time to clean them both with tissues on his bedside table. His girlfriend lay under him…trembling as the aftershock rocked along the fault lines in her skin. Her breath shallow and her doe eyes a degree unfocused.

Watching her shatter recklessly could have killed Cisco from sheer exposer…the beauty too pure for his sheets.

"You alright?" He asked, regaining her attention, earning breathless kisses from her.

He laid down, gathering his girlfriend against his chest, helping put the pieces back together. He had always assumed that Kane would have something sarcastic or seductive to say but no. She was quiet, her fingers absent drawing patterns on his chest as she gazed up into his face like he hung the moon.

Cisco wasn't sure how long the two had laid there. Long enough that Kane's breath had evened out and Cisco was feeling the most relaxed he had in months. He was almost asleep when those four words rolled in his thoughts.

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what, baby?"

He raised a brow…Kane never called him 'baby'. He filed the discovery for another time.

Cisco rolled her over to her back, laying his head on her chest. "I mean about it always being me?"

Kane stiffened in his arms, climbing up to her elbows to wordlessly study him.

"Yes," She breathed, a hand holding his jaw like he was a piece of glass. "I never thought I could find peace in the chaos of wanting…needing you."

"Sounds a little pillow talk-y." Cisco chuckled but quickly turned serious. "Just me?"

"This is literally pillow talk." Kane pulled her fingers through his locs. "Do I seem like the kinda girl that does a lot of pillow talking, Cisco?"

"Do you seem like it? No. Are you? Yes." Cisco pecked her lips, swollen from his attentions. "Does this mean you believe in soulmates now?"


End file.
